In recent months I've spent a LOT of time with children. My best friend from High school has two kids that I LOVE to babysit. A best friend that I met in college has 2 beautiful children that I recently saw for the first time in a long time. Another friend of mine came by to hang out with his dog and kids recently. My cousins have brought their kids over to visit... and I ADORE children. They make life a gift.
A childs faith and smile make life absolutely worth while.
A few years ago I went on a missions trip and met the sweetest 5 year old. She is a missionary kid and has the sweetest faith. When she was a year or two older I saw her again, and I spent some time with her and her family. We were outside just playing with flowers and this young girl starts spinning. She asks me to spin with her. I got up in the middle of my college campus and in my early 20s started spinning sin circles with this child. And that's when I realized... Even as adults... knowing the world better... we need to fight to have the faith of a child. Spin in circles...find the joy in life even when you feel like you can't. Do the things you did as a child. Find joy in the simple things.
If you can, spin in circles randomly on a summer day. Smile at a stranger when you are shopping, Pick a wild flower and give it to someone you love. It may not be as cute as when you were a kid...but at least you are enjoying life. Watch a child that you know... see how they enjoy life and let them inspire you! It's beautiful.
I'll never forget that little girl and the other children in my life who have taught me things about life. Let a child teach you something... it'll change your life.
Be Joyful.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Joyful June: Recovery
Well today is a fabulous day. I woke up this morning ready to have my sheets on my bed washed, and I feeling like "prettying" myself up. So I painted my nails. Then I decided to start exercising my leg.
I did that 3 times today and I have to be honest, I feel amazing. Because I accomplished something big tonight. I have been trying to lift my leg up on my own for about a week now and I COULDNT do it. Then yesterday with assistance I was able to do it! Today I kept trying... And the first two times (this morning and this afternoon) I needed assistance then this evening I did it on my own, SEVERAL times! I have to be honest with you and say there was SO MUCH joy happening in that moment. Mom and I started screaming and I was crying happy tears! It felt so good to be able to do that... God is so good and I know that he is blessing my recovery. I look forward to the coming months!
I haven't shared this with many people but I was told yesterday at physical therapy that I was actually not healing well at first...that I was falling behind in therapy. But I'm suddenly catching up and hopefully will continue to!
Okay since I'm so happy I'm repeating myself I'm getting off of here! I think Its time for bed ;)
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Joyful June: God's Whisper
As I recover from surgery... Joyful June came at the PERFECT moment. This month of finding joy in something every day has blessed not only others who have sent me messages thanking me, but it's blessed me. I'm thankful and... well... joyful in that! lol
I'm rediscovering who I am as a person and who I am in Christ.
6 months ago in Dec I made a vow to stay single. During this time I went on one double date which was a blind date, but to me it was just a friend thing. When I make a vow or promise to anyone, especially God I take it VERY seriously. So seriously that I only trusted a couple of people with this...people that have prayed with me. I'm human I've had crushes during this 6 months but more than anything I used these 6 months to focus on me. I've grown as a woman of God...and I'm amazed at the things God has taught me...
But He isn't done with me yet. My 6 month single vow runs it's course and wraps in just a few days. This doesn't mean I'm suddenly going to date someone. I'm not. I'm not done focusing on me. But I'm also not going to shut people out like I had been anymore.
God has shared with me new passions and old passions alike. He has brought back to my life the desire to write. He has brought back my desire to craft. He's taught me the right times to say "no" and the times to be "too kind."
God's whisper isn't audible, but it's soft and it's STILL guiding me. I am who I am and I celebrate that just as we all should but I hope and pray that I never stop growing and following God's calling in my life.
The coming months are bringing a lot of change in my life. I'm finally stepping up and going to do something to help my dreams become a reality. It's time to be the strong and power woman that God has created me to be.
Today I feel joyful for God's whisper :)
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Joyful June: Chivalry isn't extinct, but it is endangered!
Welcome to Joyful June. This post has been on my mind since Monday, when I went to my knee doctor to get my stitches out.
Whenever I travel to my knee doctor, I always come across an adventure and a large number of guys who ask me "what happened to your knee? I can totally relate to the crutches. I'm sorry" And if we're near doors or anything, these guys are very kind and open the door for me.
On Monday as I entered the Doctors office I was met by two different kinds of men. Who saw me coming and quickly got inside the building and quickly went into the elevator. Now this elevator is glass so, they could still see me, and I could still see them. And they were pointing and LAUGHING and I heard one of them say something about me not getting on the elevator because i was slow.
Rude much? The worst part? These were not YOUNG men they were at least in their 30s or 40s! I was shocked at their behavior. But I went on, mom and I waited for the next elevator, signed in and went to my appointment, got my stitches out and I left in a much better mood. As we walked toward the elevator, about the same distance as I was coming up FOR the appointment... And this older man (possibly in his 50s) and his son (a little younger than me) HELD THE ELEVATOR open for me. When we got in the young man started talking to me about my knee, and we had a good short convo, then as we left, mom and I were deciding whether to stay in or brave the rain, the man and his son waited a moment then, once again, held the doors for us! Wished us a good journey and we did the same for them. Thanked them a bunch and went our separate ways! My heart was happy and full because it was then that I realized... Chivalry isn't completely dead... it's not extinct... but it IS endangered.
When I saw that that man had brought up his son to be a gentlemen I was so pleased and impressed...but still felt a sadness and shame for those other me, the ones that laughed! Did someone never teach them what it is to be a gentlemen? Did they ignore the lessons? What happened there?
Then it got me thinking... I'm a bit of a tom boy, as a last ditch effort to have me become a lady when I was in high school, my mom had me go to etiquette classes with a friend of mine. Well, I ignored some of those lessons, kept my tom boy ways... and recently (a few months ago), I dug through my memory and brought those lessons back to my attention, and finally, 10-12 years later I've learned them, because I WANTED to. If Chivalry is endangered so is the art of being a lady! We should fight for BOTH to stay alive in our young people, my generation included or we'll have men and women with an unkindness that is not fitting of gentlemen or ladies. If we don't work NOW to change this... by the time this generation of teens are our 30-40 year olds Chivalry WILL BE extinct and that world would be a VERY SCARY world!
The Joyful part of this post is: Chivalry ISNT dead and there IS still hope! Train the little boys to open the doors for girls, to pull out their chairs to never laugh at a woman in pain. Teach them to share a smile, and even conversation with a young woman, to brighten her day. Teach them manners. Teach young ladies the proper line between being a tom boy and being a lady! It's okay to be into sports, enjoy things that guys enjoy, but don't have tooting and burping contests with the boys!
My personal joyful part of this post is my thankfulness for that man and his son! For their kindness to my mother and I! There is joy in even the smallest moments and it warms my heart to know that there are some kind men still around! It's a blessing! :)
Whenever I travel to my knee doctor, I always come across an adventure and a large number of guys who ask me "what happened to your knee? I can totally relate to the crutches. I'm sorry" And if we're near doors or anything, these guys are very kind and open the door for me.
On Monday as I entered the Doctors office I was met by two different kinds of men. Who saw me coming and quickly got inside the building and quickly went into the elevator. Now this elevator is glass so, they could still see me, and I could still see them. And they were pointing and LAUGHING and I heard one of them say something about me not getting on the elevator because i was slow.
Rude much? The worst part? These were not YOUNG men they were at least in their 30s or 40s! I was shocked at their behavior. But I went on, mom and I waited for the next elevator, signed in and went to my appointment, got my stitches out and I left in a much better mood. As we walked toward the elevator, about the same distance as I was coming up FOR the appointment... And this older man (possibly in his 50s) and his son (a little younger than me) HELD THE ELEVATOR open for me. When we got in the young man started talking to me about my knee, and we had a good short convo, then as we left, mom and I were deciding whether to stay in or brave the rain, the man and his son waited a moment then, once again, held the doors for us! Wished us a good journey and we did the same for them. Thanked them a bunch and went our separate ways! My heart was happy and full because it was then that I realized... Chivalry isn't completely dead... it's not extinct... but it IS endangered.
When I saw that that man had brought up his son to be a gentlemen I was so pleased and impressed...but still felt a sadness and shame for those other me, the ones that laughed! Did someone never teach them what it is to be a gentlemen? Did they ignore the lessons? What happened there?
Then it got me thinking... I'm a bit of a tom boy, as a last ditch effort to have me become a lady when I was in high school, my mom had me go to etiquette classes with a friend of mine. Well, I ignored some of those lessons, kept my tom boy ways... and recently (a few months ago), I dug through my memory and brought those lessons back to my attention, and finally, 10-12 years later I've learned them, because I WANTED to. If Chivalry is endangered so is the art of being a lady! We should fight for BOTH to stay alive in our young people, my generation included or we'll have men and women with an unkindness that is not fitting of gentlemen or ladies. If we don't work NOW to change this... by the time this generation of teens are our 30-40 year olds Chivalry WILL BE extinct and that world would be a VERY SCARY world!
The Joyful part of this post is: Chivalry ISNT dead and there IS still hope! Train the little boys to open the doors for girls, to pull out their chairs to never laugh at a woman in pain. Teach them to share a smile, and even conversation with a young woman, to brighten her day. Teach them manners. Teach young ladies the proper line between being a tom boy and being a lady! It's okay to be into sports, enjoy things that guys enjoy, but don't have tooting and burping contests with the boys!
My personal joyful part of this post is my thankfulness for that man and his son! For their kindness to my mother and I! There is joy in even the smallest moments and it warms my heart to know that there are some kind men still around! It's a blessing! :)
Thursday, June 06, 2013
Mirror May to Joyful June
Well Mirror May has come to a close, I see myself and the ones I care for even clearer then I did before and I've loved this month but now it's on to a new month, and a new theme.
JOY.
This month is called Joyful June and it's all about finding the Joyful things in life this month, celebrating the joyful things even on the bad days because we all have them...but it makes life so much better when you look at the joy in the midst of the sorrow! I'm excited about this month and I hope you join me!
This post is a bit shorter and hopefully I'll be back soon! Have a wonderful June and I look forwarding to posting about the joyous things in life! :)
JOY.
This month is called Joyful June and it's all about finding the Joyful things in life this month, celebrating the joyful things even on the bad days because we all have them...but it makes life so much better when you look at the joy in the midst of the sorrow! I'm excited about this month and I hope you join me!
This post is a bit shorter and hopefully I'll be back soon! Have a wonderful June and I look forwarding to posting about the joyous things in life! :)
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