I can't sleep....but glad for a wee bit of joy.

Joy comes at you in surprising ways, often where you least expect it!

Tonight my husband returned after a week of work in South Carolina. I had spent my week working, cleaning closets, and finishing a few projects. It was joyful to be together after 8 nights apart, especially as I was not expecting him for 2 more nights. Now it's 2 a.m. and I cannot fall asleep.

Yesterday I was able to spend the afternoon with a dear friend whose arm was in a cast, who has some major decisions in front of her, and who is stressed, tired, and hurting. Yet as we sat outside with our dogs at our feet, a nice glass of wine in our hands, and a lovely view in front of us, we experienced joy in being together and celebrating friendship.

Today I met with two friends. One asked me travel questions for her upcoming overseas trip - strange as it may seem,  this filled me with joy. I love it when someone asks for my advice about travel! I have so much overseas travel experience and it is a shame not to pass that on to someone. I am also thrilled to see her expanding her wings with her first international adventure. A second friend shared her experiences working with a mutual acquaintance which clarified that I was not losing my mind. Well, I might still be crazy but at least not about this issue. She had the same frustrations working with this person so I could rest easy knowing it wasn't just me. That gave me some joy. Wouldn't you be joyful to know you were not losing your mind!

Last Sunday at our church I took a class that revealed , through a series of interesting exercises, evaluations and tests, what ministry we might be suited for in our church. It was no surprise to me that I have some unusual God-given gifts, according to this process (and many similar evaluations) especially for a woman in a Lutheran church, and I think that once again, the pastoral staff won't know what to do with me. But it gave me joy just to have confirmed that I am not nuts and God has given me gifts to use - and if my church can't use me then maybe God will use me elsewhere. 

On Friday a client going through a very tough time asked to pray with her. It was on government property but I joyfully prayed with her. She left more peaceful and less stressed with a little bit of hope too. 

Joy often comes in the oddest places and times. In spite of continued stresses in my life, most beyond my control, God gave me a few moments of joy....and for that I am really quite joyful.

This very minute, I am making a choice.....

CHOICES:
There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.
http://t.usnews.com/bC97A

 

 

Choices every single day, life choices, food choices, activity choices. Mostly benign choices, but often life-changing choices. 

 

There is a great book out, called Make Shift Happen by Dean Dyer. Dean Dwyer is a former teacher, who quit his job to accept a more ambitious mission: Could he actually make MAKE SHIFT HAPPEN in his own life? Well, it seems he did...his website is http://kickstartyourunlivedlife.com/ and I like many of his ideas. The book was so good that I took his 20 "shifts" and made my own notebook of those shifts and made them my own.

 

Today, I  make the choice to DO SOMETHING SEISMIC! I am in control of my life .....or am I?

 

My job is dependent on whether or not my grant is renewed. So I can choose whether or not to work for free ......Not! I can always choose to try to find another job. I have to live with the consequences that I am a renaissance woman and have many skills, interests and experience that don't always fit into a cookie-cutter job - which makes it harder to find satisfying work.

 

My husband has made a job choice so he is commuting 100 miles! What choices does that give me? Hmmmm......sometimes we have to live with the consequences of other people's choices too. I chose to deal with his choice without uprooting our residence.

 

I chose my own car for first time in my life last month - made the deal myself too. Hubby says "good choice". It makes me feel good to drive a slight-used Jeep that runs well, instead of settling for the old Jeep that needed new gaskets and was dripping oil, just to "make-do".

 

I do choose what to put in my mouth today...and I take full responsibility for the weight I have gained over the very stressful past year...today I am deciding to stop eating everything in sight. If I do that every day, my skinny clothes that fill half my closet will fit again by September!

 

I choose what to spend my hard-earned money on, whether to buy something for me to look at in my house, or simply pay bills, or send to a struggling school in Zambia.

 

I chose to say Yes to my husband's proposal of marriage, and I choose to love my big imperfect man, who is perfect for me. I would say the most fun we have together is when we are travelling, and share new experiences together. As my son-in-law says to our daughter, "your parents are just gypsies". Could be true.

 

I chose to say Yes to God, when he asked for my heart, and in return He gave me joy. I choose today to live in joy, not despair. I chose to delight in God, the prime directive according to John Piper. More on that later....

 

Every day, millions of choices, including how I spend every minute of every day. We have free will to make those choices, and then have to accept the consequences of each of those choices.

 

I hereby take full and total responsibility for my choices. What about you?