Happy has gone on vacation....
WARNING!!! If you are looking for happy in this post today, it's not here. You might find a little joy, though. :)
Last night Natalie and I went on a little Mother - Daughter date. She's been begging for one for a couple of months. It has rarely been just me and her here lately, so she wanted to go out just the two of us. In my mind, we are together ALL the time. What's so different about getting dressed up and going out. (Yes. I am admitting I have mentally become a man, HAHAHAHAHA!!!!) Anyway, we went out to eat and to the movies to see Inside Out. It is very cute, and I highly recommend it! If you aren't familiar with it, it is the story of the emotions that live inside a little girl and cause her to make the choices she does. I won't spoil the movie for you, but it was rather enlightening.
At some point during the night, Natalie asked me, "If you could be any character, which one would you be?" Of course I chose Joy! She is pretty, upbeat, positive, and a delightful little character. Natalie gave me a pointed look and said, "Momma. I'M joy. You are definitely sadness!" Sadness! Why on earth would I want to be sadness? Really!? I laughed and asked her why? She said, "Well... (giggle)...you kinda look like her since you're a little chunky. But, really it's because you're sad all the time. You do cry a lot. And it seems like it's really hard for you to be happy any more. You don't play. You let me play, but you don't play. So, I think you are sadness." Wow! How's that for reality? She's right. I have become sadness. I used to be joy. I taught her how to be joy. :) But I have become sadness.
I am always overwhelmed. I am physically incapable of relaxing. Over the past few months I have found myself becoming more of a prisoner to a body that finds a new way to betray me every day. I am always behind on one deadline or another. I can't physically work any more. I mentally can't seem to rest. I think about the future. What will I be able to do tomorrow or the next day? What will I NOT be able to do when I wake up in the morning? People have asked me in the past why we traveled so much. It's because I knew there was a day coming when I wouldn't be able to. I want to make the most awesome memories for her while I can, because soon there will be a day when I can't. I'm beginning to see those days. ~Sadness.
There are so many other things in my life that brings their own forms of sadness. Being single, being a mom, helping others, being a student, growing older, so on and so on. There are things in my future that are closer to becoming a reality. More and more sadness. I know God reminds us in Matthew 6:25, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?" Then again in verse 34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I try not to. I really do. But the reality is, life happens. It's going to happen. I can't stop it. And some things you just have to prepare for, like it or not. ~Sadness.
Now, what does all this sadness have to do with joy? I LOVE Rick Warren's definition of Joy.
Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.
Joy and happiness are not the same. Joy and sadness can live together in wonderful harmony! It takes joy to survive sadness, and sadness to enrich joy. No matter what happens, no matter how many tears I cry, how many struggles I face every day...I can still find joy. James reminds us "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy" (1:2). I think this is the best lesson I can teach Natalie. I may be Sadness, but as long as I rely on God, I can still be Joy.
Last night Natalie and I went on a little Mother - Daughter date. She's been begging for one for a couple of months. It has rarely been just me and her here lately, so she wanted to go out just the two of us. In my mind, we are together ALL the time. What's so different about getting dressed up and going out. (Yes. I am admitting I have mentally become a man, HAHAHAHAHA!!!!) Anyway, we went out to eat and to the movies to see Inside Out. It is very cute, and I highly recommend it! If you aren't familiar with it, it is the story of the emotions that live inside a little girl and cause her to make the choices she does. I won't spoil the movie for you, but it was rather enlightening.
At some point during the night, Natalie asked me, "If you could be any character, which one would you be?" Of course I chose Joy! She is pretty, upbeat, positive, and a delightful little character. Natalie gave me a pointed look and said, "Momma. I'M joy. You are definitely sadness!" Sadness! Why on earth would I want to be sadness? Really!? I laughed and asked her why? She said, "Well... (giggle)...you kinda look like her since you're a little chunky. But, really it's because you're sad all the time. You do cry a lot. And it seems like it's really hard for you to be happy any more. You don't play. You let me play, but you don't play. So, I think you are sadness." Wow! How's that for reality? She's right. I have become sadness. I used to be joy. I taught her how to be joy. :) But I have become sadness.
I am always overwhelmed. I am physically incapable of relaxing. Over the past few months I have found myself becoming more of a prisoner to a body that finds a new way to betray me every day. I am always behind on one deadline or another. I can't physically work any more. I mentally can't seem to rest. I think about the future. What will I be able to do tomorrow or the next day? What will I NOT be able to do when I wake up in the morning? People have asked me in the past why we traveled so much. It's because I knew there was a day coming when I wouldn't be able to. I want to make the most awesome memories for her while I can, because soon there will be a day when I can't. I'm beginning to see those days. ~Sadness.
There are so many other things in my life that brings their own forms of sadness. Being single, being a mom, helping others, being a student, growing older, so on and so on. There are things in my future that are closer to becoming a reality. More and more sadness. I know God reminds us in Matthew 6:25, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?" Then again in verse 34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I try not to. I really do. But the reality is, life happens. It's going to happen. I can't stop it. And some things you just have to prepare for, like it or not. ~Sadness.
Now, what does all this sadness have to do with joy? I LOVE Rick Warren's definition of Joy.
Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.
Joy and happiness are not the same. Joy and sadness can live together in wonderful harmony! It takes joy to survive sadness, and sadness to enrich joy. No matter what happens, no matter how many tears I cry, how many struggles I face every day...I can still find joy. James reminds us "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy" (1:2). I think this is the best lesson I can teach Natalie. I may be Sadness, but as long as I rely on God, I can still be Joy.
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