Joy

     Joy...such a small word, but what a powerful word.  This morning as I was catching up on my morning adorations, the first two Bible verses for March were about joy.  I realized that lately, I haven't been joyful in all things.  I haven't been horrible all of the time, but I sure haven't been sharing much joy, I have been letting little things get to me.  Rather than taking action about what has been wrong, I have been complaining and doing nothing to fix the little things.  This morning, I am claiming joy for myself, my family, my home.  I am taking action instead of letting things get me down.

     The first step that I am taking is one that I have started and stopped several times.  I am going to bed early.  I know that I don't get enough sleep.  I have talked before about the fact that I love late nights.  But late nights and 3am wake up calls don't work.  I have started to go to bed by 9:30.  I know that isn't "early", but for me, who was staying up til 10 or 11 each night, this is a huge change.  I can feel it already this morning.  I woke up at my normal 3 instead of getting to sleep in until 7 today.  And truly, I feel good.  I might need a little nap later today, but for now, I am rested and recharged.

     The next thing that I am doing to reclaim my joy is taking care of myself.  I have been seeing my chiropractor again (that is a joy in and of itself).  I have an appointment with my medical doctor later today.  Not something that I am looking forward to, but I have some issues to discuss with him.  I know that he will recommend some things that I don't want to do, but I need to do them if I want to be healthy. And for me, if I am not feeling good, I am not able to feel much joy.  I also need to get back to eating healthy and some sort of exercise.  It's time to jump back onto the bandwagon...again!

     The biggest thing that I am going to do to find my joy, is to spend quiet time with my Bible.  I started a new plan in 2016 and did really well for a few weeks.  I have a reading plan for each morning and evening.  And then I stopped.  I got to busy.  I had other things that were more important.  And I didn't open my Bible for two weeks.  I became cranky and letting the little things bother me.  I miss that quiet time with God, His Word, and my devotions.  So I started the day reading....and joy was in front of me.

     I don't make promises often, but I have to promise myself that I will make joy part of my daily life.  I know that there will be times that joy doesn't seem to apparent to me, but I need to find joy in all situations. I need to make joy part of me, so that others can see the joy that I have.  I need to share my joy with others...starting with my family.  I want to be that person who makes others feel joyful.  I want to end with the verses that reminded me about joy this morning. I hope that they remind you to feel joy as well!

"Let me hear joy and gladness..."

Psalm 51:8a

"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you

and that your joy may be complete."

John 15:11