junk or JOY! It's MY choice.

If I were going to pick my favorite kind of day I would not pick a rainy day.  Rainy days are dreary days for me . They make me tired, unmotivated and I feel like my blood runs thick.  I just don't have the get up and go on those days.  I find it puzzling how some people can love rainy days.  My husband loves rainy days.

But when life sent me rain on Monday,  my brain and I decided to turn it into a blessing. Emerson was at our house for the afternoon  and though she wasn't begging to go out in the rain she had spied an umbrella hanging up in the closet last week and was itching to make use of it. So While supper was finishing the final stage in the oven and it was wet and rainy outside, I knew sunshine was just around the corner...

   Emerson and I did the best thing i know to do in the rain....(when you are not worried about getting wet)

WALK IN IT with a bright pink umbrella.

There was not a  puddle untouched.

Instant SUNSHINE!

Life is kind of like the rain and the pink umbrella....

"People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be." Abraham Lincoln

Today it is over cast again, and my sunshine Emerson is not here. There is a lot that is not right with the world.  I think about all of those who have been hit by the devastating tornados of the midwest.

 Despite the weather or circumstances of the day  I have the ability to choose what I want to think about.

 There will always be something  'good' and 'bad' in every day.  

on  most days my thinking needs a measuring stick in order to get the most out of any day. My parents, having grown up in the depression,

 have passed on to me...

 nothing should be wasted especially food.

 God, the giver of food, also gives us this day,

This is the day that the Lord has made,

                                                           
                  let us rejoice and be glad in it".  Psalm 118: 24      
..... no matter what the circumstances of the day.....
 I believe God  promises, Nothing shall be wasted.
 This measuring stick helps me to stay focused
 on the character of God rain or shine.

 So  here is the stick i use to measure my days...

"Finally "Girlfriends" ,

whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just,

 whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report;

 if there be any virtue ,

and if there be any praise,

 think on these things." 

 Phillipians 4 :8

thinking about these things helps me to get the most out of my day.

 a rainy day turns into a pure and joyful day!

rainy days and relationships

they make a good pair

"When you focus on the good, you not only notice more good but you actually create more good."

Tommy Newberry

 Fifteen  minutes of walking in the rain produced a picture to treasure

and a memory with her nanny that will last a lifetime as we find ways to have fun together.

RAINdrops from heaven..... say," it's good" with me.

working my way through this book

(the journey started here)

and getting rid of the junk in my trunk and seeking joy!

may you find and multiply

 whatsoever you are looking for today

 and may your whatsoever bring joy.

Just one BABY STEP to work on this week:

Listen to my self talk this week and file it in the junk or joy category.

Junk I get rid of ..... Joy I keep.

Blessings

 "songs of JOY and victory are sung in the camp of the godly." Psalm 118: 15

Janita

FAITH brings JOY/ ONE chapter for ONE week

This is a learning to walk with joy personal progress report from this post found  here.  Warning ...it contains God's word which has the power to change lives :)  Here is a Summary if you want the short version.... Focusing on the character of God....mental exercise and a can do list.....  ALL WORTH IT!  Yes there has been a spoonful of Joy maybe even a cupful or more of joy added to my week because of these BABY STEPS.

The pictures are to keep you entertained if you think you  might be interested in the progress because who doesn't love a pretty baby who has just turned ONE!    She is a very sweet JOY!

BABY STEP #1   Focusing on God is My SHIELD.  I went to the back of my Bible and looked up every verse that had reference to the word Shield.  When I needed to feel like I had some protection against life's woes I had God's word to lift me to a place that is better than worry.  And when I found the word shield was also in the same breath as joy now that puts the twinkle back in a girl's eye. 

 I Love this verse. 
"The LORD is my strength and shield.  I trust him with all my heart.  He helps me and my heart is filled with Joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."  Psalm 28:7  

I have had this verse, just the middle two sentences on a chalk board in my dining room for months.   Now that I have gone back and read the Whole verse it has a whole new impact.  I stand a little taller because I am standing in the strength of God not my strength to make it all work out.

And this one,
"You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope."   Psalm 119:114

I have this written in my Bible from "The Joy of my Heart" by Anne Graham Lotz  "Your word has given me life." Psalm 119: 50 NKJV  If you are depressed by the greatness of your problems, read God's word! That's where you find help.  That's where you find joy.  Let the rushing waters of the living word drown out all other sounds and voices.  There is life- giving power in the word of God.  At the most difficult times in my life- God's word has sustained me.  There have been times when I have only been capable of reading a few verses at a time, yet the supernatural life-giving power of the word of God has not only helped me maintain my emotional and mental balance, it has given me strength to go on, even if only one day at a time."

you can receive anne's free Joy of my heart devotional here


I think my prayers had a little more ump to them because when I thought about and read the scriptures related to God is my shield  I prayed for the need at hand with the power of God's word.   I thought about the definition for joy specifically that it means exult .  Today, because I believe what jesus did for me , this version of Romans 5 uses the word exult,  I need to remember, no matter what my circumstances are God is in the business of triumph  and thinking about this lifts me to a place that brings joy because he is a shield to me until I get to that point of victory.  I love the thought that he can use me and my circumstances and I can confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing his glory through it all.


Baby Step#2.... slowing life down to read and focus on ONE Chapter of scripture for ONE week does make you think a little deeper and brings just a different sense of perspective to the day.  And when life just keeps clicking along at a steady pace without much to show for God that would be a very good thing.  I chose Romans 5 and was able to read each day from a different version at the Bible gateway link.   The subtitle here....."Faith brings JOY".   True joy will not be found anywhere else.  So I am Keeping the pedal to the metal on this drive through life because i want the real thing. Some times faith  is hard but this reminds me to be faithful. Some days are for growing me pure and simple.

And it's a WOO -HOO  Praise .....

  I was able to memorize 5 verses Romans 5: 1-5.  I love the New Living Translation Bible because it speaks to me in words that I get. so here it goes straight from memory :)...

1 "Therefore since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 

2  Because of our faith Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved priviledge where we now stand and we can confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.

3 And we can rejoice when we run into problems and trials for we know that they help us to develop endurance,

4 and endurance leads to strength of character and character strengthens our confident hope of  salvation. 

5 and this hope will not lead to disappointment for we know how much God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

 It is not a praise that I am so good at memorizing but a WOO-HOO praise to God because He has done so much for me and I know he loves it that I would actually think that His word is worthy to be memorized and I took the time out of my day to make that a priority. When my head hit the pillow at night, I rehearsed the verse I was memorizing for the day and if I couldn't sleep at night HIS WORDS were the ones that I chose to focus on.  Thank you Lord for helping the words to stick to my bones.

 little miss Addilyn Grace-every where she walks she spreads JOY-

And My list of Can do things BABY STEPS #3....   Since i'm not really a list maker person I think I did pretty well on one day.  I got a lot done!

Make potato salad
Pick a paint color for the bedroom
clean out another part of my flower bed
I can think about God's love for me
I can take a walk
I can worship while I clean
Iron shirts for next week
Finish angel pillow
return clothes to the store
Read Romans 5 everyday
Spend 1 hour organizing my sewing room
Go to lunch with a friend
clean out husbands car
take some pictures

"Research indicates that the average person thinks approximately fifty thousand thoughts per day.  This is either good or bad news because every thought moves you either toward your God-given potential or away from it.  No thoughts are neutral."   Tommy Newberry " The 4:8 Principle -The secret to a Joy-Filled Life"

If you made it all the way here, I hope you were in some way blessed and encouraged to take baby steps to find more joy in your life.

Seeking joy,
Thanks for stopping by
janita