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-When you think you're all out of butter in the middle of a recipe and then find an extra package in the freezer.
(*with hands raised* Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!)
-When you've repeated a round over and over again waiting for ONE card in a card game and then you get it. (Praise Him all creatures here below!)
-When you really need a cup of coffee and you go to the pot and there's enough for just one last delicious cup. (Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts!!!)
-Or when all your babies and toddlers are super fussy and actually nap at the same time! (Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!!!!!)
I like to bring God into these moments by bursting into an off-tune, very loud expression of joy through worship.
Happiness is one of these weird things in life. Yes, we know that happiness is fleeting. A roller coaster of ups and downs, circumstances and dependencies. And true JOY comes from the Lord. Joy is lasting, even through the dark times.
However, God wants us to enJOY too! He blesses us. Takes care of us. Is faithful to hear us. Faithful to provide and protect.
We should not only have joy but express that joy.
I don't want to sound too much like Pollyanna here, but really, I struggle to express joy in my everyday life. And joy is important!
“... if God took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times to be glad and rejoice, He must want us to do it—SOME.” ~ Pollyanna
I wish I acted the way I speak. So often, I'm talking about the goodness of the Lord but it is SO serious. So dry.
Joy, to me, is usually warped into this very solemn and sober emotion. Joy is mature. Maybe because I've been through difficult times in life, joy seems to be the aftermath of what I choose to focus on to change my attitude. It's a smile and a warm heart, but often it's very serious.
I can be serious almost all of the time. In fact, I'm so serious that my children can't tell when I'm joking. I mean, my jokes are pretty great...alright, they're a little unique.
But still, my family should see the joy of the Lord in me. The joy that bursts out into song. The joy that can't help but smile because it's a good day that God gave us!
It's so easy to show and express joy when you're out of the house. But IN your house, it's different.
In your house, you can have a tendency to become a different character entirely.
I call it the "Mama-monster".
You know this creature. She eats, breathes, and sleeps seriousness. She often is irritated without clear reason. She ends up controlling most of the day in order to keep things from getting too wild. She interferes in sibling business she could stay out of. She tends to need a few time-outs. She also ends up disciplining issues that are not really worthy of the attention given. She breathes heavily and often is irritated to be interrupted in her tasks.
Sometimes she yells...
Sometimes she grumbles...
Most of the time, you will not see her smile. And she will justify all of these behaviors with her bad night's sleep, hormones, busy schedule, etc. She also will not be talking to or about the Lord during such behaviors. Well maybe in the old testament when the Lord would open up the ground and consume an entire people because they were evil...maybe that might be mentioned when the children disobey.
I know some of you might be thinking "ouch". But really, motherhood changes you.
I had the occasional selfish outburst with my husby but mostly I could reason my way through my feelings. With children, however, I can fully see on a regular basis...I need the Lord. (Which is probably why He made us mothers).
God bless them, but children know how to push your buttons. It's like they know when you're trying to be joyful and that's when they decide to have a bad attitude.
What really gets me though, is that I want to be joyful. I want my children to remember me smiling, laughing, and enjoying my life with them. I want them to see that joy that comes from the Lord is part of my daily thinking and feeling.
That I can be playful, silly even. And not just for a quick moment, but that I can truly enjoy their company at the expense of my schedule, plan, or expectations. Or maybe that I can be joyful even after I am called to forgive my child. When he or she does wrong against me, and hurts me, I want my child to see that I can smile and love them in forgiveness. That my enjoyment of motherhood would not be dependent on the circumstance of my relationships with my children.
That I can burst out into a "doxology moment" just because I'm expressing true joy about being a blessed mama! Regardless of the circumstances of the day, week, whatever, that I can turn that bitter struggle into sweet joy. And maybe after the Mama-monster gets put to rest for the day, that I can use her bad example to express how and why the Lord's goodness is so good.
--------------
Lord, Please help me to have and express true joy! Help me to smile, laugh, cheer, and celebrate with my children! Help them to remember the Mama You created me to be and are completing in me. Help my children to forgive the Mama-monster in me and learn from my bad choices! Thank you for your grace and forgiveness and help me to have that grace and forgiveness for myself and my children.
Still trying, Cheryl
-When you really need a cup of coffee and you go to the pot and there's enough for just one last delicious cup. (Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts!!!)
-Or when all your babies and toddlers are super fussy and actually nap at the same time! (Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!!!!!)
I like to bring God into these moments by bursting into an off-tune, very loud expression of joy through worship.
Happiness is one of these weird things in life. Yes, we know that happiness is fleeting. A roller coaster of ups and downs, circumstances and dependencies. And true JOY comes from the Lord. Joy is lasting, even through the dark times.
However, God wants us to enJOY too! He blesses us. Takes care of us. Is faithful to hear us. Faithful to provide and protect.
We should not only have joy but express that joy.
I don't want to sound too much like Pollyanna here, but really, I struggle to express joy in my everyday life. And joy is important!
“... if God took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times to be glad and rejoice, He must want us to do it—SOME.” ~ Pollyanna
I wish I acted the way I speak. So often, I'm talking about the goodness of the Lord but it is SO serious. So dry.
Joy, to me, is usually warped into this very solemn and sober emotion. Joy is mature. Maybe because I've been through difficult times in life, joy seems to be the aftermath of what I choose to focus on to change my attitude. It's a smile and a warm heart, but often it's very serious.
I can be serious almost all of the time. In fact, I'm so serious that my children can't tell when I'm joking. I mean, my jokes are pretty great...alright, they're a little unique.
But still, my family should see the joy of the Lord in me. The joy that bursts out into song. The joy that can't help but smile because it's a good day that God gave us!
It's so easy to show and express joy when you're out of the house. But IN your house, it's different.
In your house, you can have a tendency to become a different character entirely.
I call it the "Mama-monster".
You know this creature. She eats, breathes, and sleeps seriousness. She often is irritated without clear reason. She ends up controlling most of the day in order to keep things from getting too wild. She interferes in sibling business she could stay out of. She tends to need a few time-outs. She also ends up disciplining issues that are not really worthy of the attention given. She breathes heavily and often is irritated to be interrupted in her tasks.
Sometimes she yells...
Sometimes she grumbles...
Most of the time, you will not see her smile. And she will justify all of these behaviors with her bad night's sleep, hormones, busy schedule, etc. She also will not be talking to or about the Lord during such behaviors. Well maybe in the old testament when the Lord would open up the ground and consume an entire people because they were evil...maybe that might be mentioned when the children disobey.
I know some of you might be thinking "ouch". But really, motherhood changes you.
I had the occasional selfish outburst with my husby but mostly I could reason my way through my feelings. With children, however, I can fully see on a regular basis...I need the Lord. (Which is probably why He made us mothers).
God bless them, but children know how to push your buttons. It's like they know when you're trying to be joyful and that's when they decide to have a bad attitude.
What really gets me though, is that I want to be joyful. I want my children to remember me smiling, laughing, and enjoying my life with them. I want them to see that joy that comes from the Lord is part of my daily thinking and feeling.
That I can be playful, silly even. And not just for a quick moment, but that I can truly enjoy their company at the expense of my schedule, plan, or expectations. Or maybe that I can be joyful even after I am called to forgive my child. When he or she does wrong against me, and hurts me, I want my child to see that I can smile and love them in forgiveness. That my enjoyment of motherhood would not be dependent on the circumstance of my relationships with my children.
That I can burst out into a "doxology moment" just because I'm expressing true joy about being a blessed mama! Regardless of the circumstances of the day, week, whatever, that I can turn that bitter struggle into sweet joy. And maybe after the Mama-monster gets put to rest for the day, that I can use her bad example to express how and why the Lord's goodness is so good.
--------------
Lord, Please help me to have and express true joy! Help me to smile, laugh, cheer, and celebrate with my children! Help them to remember the Mama You created me to be and are completing in me. Help my children to forgive the Mama-monster in me and learn from my bad choices! Thank you for your grace and forgiveness and help me to have that grace and forgiveness for myself and my children.
Still trying, Cheryl
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