Now to the title of our blog Joy;

Joy is not often (although it should be) distinguished from happiness. Happiness is a feeling, a state of happening, even just an emotion. While happiness brings pleasure it will not last. It is fleeting always requiring you to search for the next feeling. Joy is a choice! You look at the events, the circumstances, the moment and decide your attitude. It may even be best described as seeing the big picture. Now to be very clear I am not talking about putting yourself in a frame of mind to change the world. Nor that you can will your problems away simply by putting on a happy face. The big picture must include that big God. Without him I am nothing, I would live my life being happy at times and just like before I met Jesus I might have even told you I have joy. There is truly no comparison and while that might seem like a way to make myself seem exclusive or “better than” others it truly has nothing to do with me. I am not good, God is good. I did not achieve, God sacrificed for me. I am not getting better, God is making those unhelpful things  in my life fade away.

Joy is seeing my redeemed life through God’s eyes and being in the moment. Why discuss joy? Well even as I am truly blessed I do struggle with being joyful. I read a quote from another blog recently (sorry I forgot the reference and it is not a exact quote) “I recently saw a picture of my kids and I on a picnic. I wish I could remember what we talked about that day. What treasures did we find as we walked along” This quote made me think. Not immediately but it is one of those things that hits you later on. I am so “in to” moving to the next thing or completing a task that at times I fail to miss enjoying the moment. To take the extra time not just to listen to my children but to go deeper. Ask them questions explorer who God is growing them into. Example: After a long day at work I find we need milk (we go through about a gallon and a half a day and our fridge holds about 4 gallons) I have the choice to grab the family or maybe just one of the kids and enjoy (find joy in) the moment or I can get frustrated because I have to go out to the store after a long day of work and waste time I could be spending relaxing and instead go to the store by myself with a grumpy attitude.

 

We (in Christ) are a work in progress. Would you join me in living every moment to the fullest? It is not about what happens to you but about how you choose to react. Jesus says I have come to give you life and that more abundantly” let’s take him up on the offer.

-Jacob