Joy Comes in the Morning

Having a thankful heart in the every day is sometimes hard when we are faced with the unexpected. Whether it be a freeway closure in the middle of the night sending you on a journey you hadn't planned after a long day or driving to work only to find that the peanut butter and jelly sandwich you made for your son is somehow on the front of your skirt, each of us have days where things don't seem to go as planned. 

Having a thankful heart in the every day is sometimes hard when we are faced with obstacles that seem endless. Whether it is the death of a loved one and the pain that lingers, a friend battling cancer for the past three years and it keeps coming back or a child going wayward, we each have trials we have to face.

Having a thankful heart in the every day is sometimes hard when we sense our dreams have been shattered or impossible. 

BUT if we change our perspective to a heart of gratitude instead of focusing on the things we may not be able to control, we will experience Joy. True joy is in experiencing the everyday with a new perspective. To see the troubles from a different viewpoint and see every day as a day to celebrate. Even when we are down or things aren't going our way, we can be sure that by being thankful joy will come in the morning. When we change our perspective we begin to see the beauty in the unexpected, the goodness in the obstacles, and the possibility of a new dream. 

This weekend, I was challenged to "wield the pen like a sword in the dark," so I decided to write down and share the things I am thankful for today. I will start with a top ten, and then, I challenge you to do the same.

10 reasons why I am thankful for today:

1. A God that loves me more than anyone on earth and has accepted me just the way I am, no matter what. His love is greater than I can imagine and he has given me strength when I thought life wasn't worth living, when my insecurities took over and when I was lonely. 
2. A husband who supports my every move. He stands up for me even when I may say dumb things in public, even if I may be embarrassing. He stands next to me in all my decisions. He guides our family with his love, concern and strong spirit. He loves others better than himself and he is an example of the character I want to be.
3. A son who loves others, cares for his friends and has a moral conscience that keeps him out of trouble...most of the time. He loves his dog, his grandma and grandpa, Taylor Swift. We share some of the best times of my life together. 
4. A mother who worked hard to provide a home and good school for my brother and I so that we would have a better life. One who loves her grandson with all her heart and does what ever she can to support and help him, whether it is a meal while I am still working or a place to sit and relax. 
5. A brother who is loyal and someone I can trust and call on whenever I need to and for whatever I need. 
6. A father who loved me always and even when he may not be around, I can count on that phone call he always ends with, "I love you, baby."
7. A man I call John, who loves my mother wholly, takes care of her and provides for her, and is the best grandpa my son could ever have. His love for Jacob makes me smile all the time. 
8. A grandmother who guided me, supported me and loved me like no other. She showed me what it meant to be faithful and true, what it meant to stand up for I believed in even if she didn't agree. 
9. A grandmother (I am fortunate to have two!) who took time to know what I love. She shares fresh tomatoes and cucumbers; she makes my clothes fit perfectly and she teaches me strength through her life.
10. A grandfather who has since gone to be with the Lord who taught me what it means to be an American, one who never held back on what he believed.
11. I have just one more...A friend who may never know how much I love her and care about her. She accepts me as I am with my outbursts, quirks and strange behavior on a daily basis and I know she doesn't always or ever get me but she's ok with that, too. 

Pure Joy...and this is only the beginning! I would love to see your list and hear about your joy.

"His goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life."

Inspired by Ann Voscamp

Grace Changes Everything

I have a clean driving record yet have been pulled over a few times. Each time, I know I deserve a ticket but for some reason, I am waived on. Years ago, I had returned a credit card machine from our business to the company and they never received it. As a result, they charged us a significant amount of money for the product. Because I hadn't mailed it with a delivery receipt, they had every right to charge me. When I called the woman on the phone, she apparently heard the stress in my voice and waived the fee.

Interestingly enough, as much as I have received grace, I have not always given it freely. In fact, I am a rule follower and have thought that anyone who didn't follow the rules deserved what they got. If your assignment is late, you get docked points; if you speed; you get a ticket; pay late, pay a fee; you get the point.

In the last year, I have come to realize that grace changes everything. Accepting God's grace has given me the freedom to love others more and appreciate those around me for who they are. For many years, a situation I had thought had been buried and let go, continued to resurface. Trying to forget it wasn't working so I had to face it, forgive it and extend grace on the situation. Over and over, every time I forgive and extend grace, more peace comes. Letting go of what I think is "fair" has inevitably made a difference in my attitude towards others. Grace is a "gift that brings joy" and I finally feel that joy. We all make mistakes and even hurt each other deeply, but if we continue to hold a grudge or want others to pay for what they did, we will never experience true joy. Accepting grace and extending grace closes gaps in relationships and allows you to have the freedom to love more fully and live the very good life.