POWER OF JOY
The power of JOY. I recently heard this phrase on a podcast with Sean Feucht. I have pondered this for awhile. I used to think that JOY was the same as happiness. But it isn’t. Joy is a choice, a decision, a decision to experience pleasure, a deep sense of gratitude, regardless of the circumstances around you. All of us have hundreds of pictures on our phones that make us smile. So I decided to put together some of my pictures to create my JOY board. These are just some snapshots that, when I look at, I smile and am so grateful. The magical times in Ireland, parties with our friends in San Diego, our wonderful neighbors, my family, our Miley, my beach, my God. What would your JOY board look like? Who would be included? What event or place brought a powerful change in your life? Do you have a faith? I found for me that keeping this close in my vision reminds me that, as life continues to be more volatile, I have a God that I can trust, who loves me, and has proven it to me time after time. But JOY by itself is fleeting. It is the POWER of JOY that changes your life and others around you. How I deal with difficult circumstances is what is going to change others around me, either for the good or for the bad. Recently, I bought a bathroom vanity to replace our old one in the master bathroom. I changed it from a pick up ( to save money) to delivery ( when I realized how difficult it was going to be!). As I was standing there to pay I noticed a sign stating, we won’t help you if your yelling at us ( I’m paraphrasing). I thought it was odd…until I was the one who wanted to yell and tell them how stupid their new system was! That one change required them to charge me three times!! I was told that it would “ drop off” by midnight…It did not. The delivery had a 4 hour window and I had to be there because they would not be calling me in advance ( it was being delivered at our house that is locked up for repairs) So, I sat outside in 104 degree weather waiting for them to show up. I had a choice. To show JOY when they did show up, with gratitude, because they too were really hot and tired, or yell at their stupid system. I chose JOY and thanked them for all their help. The results? The driver thanked me because everyone else had been yelling at them for being so late. I chose not to go back to the store and yell at their customer service that they charged me three times the amount that didn’t drop off like they said it would. Instead, I went to my bank and got it sorted out. Choosing JOY, a mindset of gratitude, is needed now more than ever. And, to be honest, I can only do it through the power of Jesus. He, of all people, knew what it meant. May these simple words bring you to a place of thankfulness, no matter your circumstances, so that others too will be blessed.