June 16, 2007 10:57 AM
Finding more joy in life
I received some beautiful pictures and a very special email from a reader this morning. Linda wrote:
You inspired me a few months back to press through "feeling blue" and to get busy. I thank the Lord for how He lives in you. Since that talk...I have painted a kitchen, planted a garden, and loved on five children and my husband a whole lot. We have traveled to see my only brother's wedding in Georgia. Road trip to visit extended family from NY to GA to FLA and back. And, my feeling blue moments have decreased in a mighty way. Thank you for traveling on many roads with many moms out there.
Blessings!
Linda
I wish I remembered exactly what I wrote to Linda, but I want to share what she wrote to me because it is apparent that it was not so much what I wrote but Linda's own decision to act on whatever I said that made all the difference in her life.
I am convinced that we were created to give glory to our creator. That's a responsibility and also a tremendous opportunity to live life to the fullest and experience true joy. The enemy - who I know is very real indeed and who seeks always to thwart our growing relationship with our Heavenly Father and our ability to love and serve others - will try to trip us up with resentment, bitterness, depression, unforgiveness. He will even provide us with an individually-tailored rationale for why we have a right to feel the way we do.
So much of our lives - including our spiritual and emotional health - is about the decisions we make how to respond to what life throws at us. Love is not a feeling, but a decision and a commitment. The Bible teaches us to choose each day whom we will serve. I know there are days when I get up feeling excited and optimistic (my natural inclination) and immediately feel like life starts beating away at that. Then I have to keep deciding over and over to press on. My own therapy for depression is to clean out closets and drawers. I guess it's an indication of how happy I am right now that all the closets and drawers at home are crying out for organization - something which my oldest grandson Timmy loves to do when he visits - thanks, Timmy :)
Anyway, I asked Linda if I could share what she wrote so you could see these aren't just abstract concepts I'm talking about, but guidelines for living with joy that truly work.
It just starts with deciding not to be satisfied with being unhappy - then putting your little girl hand in God's loving and powerful hand. He will lead you to the next thing.
I don't see it as any accident that God gave Linda a nest of birds to observe. I always see things like that - and I wrote about a bird nest outside our door in The Mommy Manual - as a very personal gift from our Heavenly Father. He loves us so much that he sends us these special reminders - if only we will wake up and begin to notice them.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above
and comes down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
James 1:17
If you need to make a fresh start, I just invite you to ask God to take your hand and help you find the joy and fullness with which we are invited to live. Remember that Jesus promised in John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
But we were not created to be passive. We need to respond to this opportunity by deciding we want that abundant life, that we choose that abundant life, and that we will get busy and start having it - just as Linda has done.
Thanks Linda for sharing how this simple plan works!
Oh, and for sharing God's very personal reminder of the beauty and vigor of new life:
Remember, God can use anyone to point someone who's become distracted with the burdens of life back to the only one who can help us carry them.
Casting all your care upon Him, for he cares for you
1 Peter 5:7
Posted in Inspiration | Permalink
Comments
Thank you for this~ I needed the reminder!!
Posted by: Amy | June 16, 2007 11:06 AM
Thank you Linda for writing to Barbara and Barbara for your wise and loving response. For the past year I have been struggling with finding the "joy" in my life. With a lot of help from books and some very wise people in my life, I've decided to choose Joy! What a difference in my daily life and in my interactions. I still have some work to do as life is a process. But as my spiritual director pointed out to me that as Christians we are called to be joyful and that joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit. God Bless you Linda!
Posted by: Angelica | June 16, 2007 12:34 PM
OOOO...love the bird pictures! Thank you for this reminder Barbara! How wonderful that Linda is more joyful!
I think keeping busy works because then we don't dwell on how we're feeling so much. When I'm bogged down with housework and half-finished projects I try to motivate myself to just do SOMETHING! I can't think too much about what to do, I just gotta get going- even if I know the baby is gonna wake before I finish- because doing a little is better than nothing and I usually feel better.
Barbara, you are so right about unexpected things- such as discovering a bird's nest- being gifts from God. If we learn to view life from this perspective we will notice just how many blessings we have to be thankful for. And a grateful heart is almost always joyful.
Posted by: purebillow | June 17, 2007 6:06 PM
I had a bird's nest on my porch this spring- you can view pics of it (though not as good as Linda's:) here:
You are right about it being God's reminder of new life. I enjoyed reading this post, thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Valerie@Consider It Done | June 17, 2007 9:17 PM
