Every Friday, a group of writers gets together on the internet with Kate Motaung and we all write together for five minutes. No edits. No second guesses. Just writing. This is Five Minute Friday – and it is one of the most supportive groups on the web. Today’s writing prompt is: Surprise.
I’m going to actually set my timer this time and…
GO
I used to think I was an optimistic, happy go lucky girl. I let myself feel all of my feelings and I felt them with all of myself. This meant that when I was happy, I was very happy. When I was sad, I was devastated. Ok, so maybe I was deceiving myself into thinking I was happy go lucky. Anyone with those kind of emotions is hardly a lah-dee-dah type personality.
As I have gotten older and had more life experiences – from joyful days to the most painful nights – I have felt the joy coming slower. It is easier to see what is wrong with the world than to let in the good. It is easier to say, everything is hard than to seek out those things that bring joy.
Which is why Philippians 4:8 is so important.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
I needed this verse so much, a few weeks ago I stuck it on my wall.
I’ve begun to ask myself some good questions again.
What was good in my life today? Yes, there was tension, screaming, tears, and tantrums from the littles at bedtime. What went well today?
What am I looking forward to this week? Seeing a friend? A block of time alone? An audition for a musical? (I’m going to try theatre again friends!! I bet you didn’t know that about me.)
What can I feel happy about right now? It may be simply the knowledge that no matter the struggle I am never alone. I do not need to force a feeling, just open myself up to the knowledge that The Lord is Near.
Seeking joy doesn’t come naturally to me, but it is a discipline I am engaging in and I am surprised by the joy I do find every day.
I just had to teach myself to see it.
STOP
I pray you find joy this week, my friends. For more thoughts on joy in the midst of the struggles of life, please read this post by my Redbud friend, Shelli Massie. She is wise. And she found joy in the cutest yellow couch.
If you would like your own printable of Philippians 4:8 to hang on your wall, feel free to download one here. It looks like this:
I love that you do theatre. I used to too and miss it very much. That Philippians verse is one of my absolute favorites. Visiting from FMF where I’m in the #43 spot.
Tara, it’s been over a decade. I think (did I speak too soon on the blog about my plans –again?!) I am audition for The Music Man at a local community theatre in April. I LOVE that musical and also miss theatre so much. With our family schedule this might be too difficult. Plus I’m trying to get my book written and I don’t want that to be interrupted. I got really excited for the audition, but now I think I’m going to pray about it before it is here. 🙂
Thanks for visiting again!
Thanks for your post. The questions you are asking yourself are a practical but powerful way to notice the good in our lives. Thanks for much for sharing them and for offering the free printable. Visiting from FMF.
Thank you for your words of affirmation. I appreciate your visit.
“As I have gotten older and had more life experiences – from joyful days to the most painful nights – I have felt the joy coming slower.”
The joy coming slower — this is so me!! Right now, it it’s easier to see the and rejoice in what God is doing for others, than myself. I don’t know if this is a good thing because rejoicing for what God is doing for me (making lean on Him in my weakness) seems selfish. Maybe I’m twisting that up? Thank you for sharing this. I pray you find more to stop and be joyful amid all the tantrums and crazy. 🙂 visiting from fmf.
Ooooh, girl I hear you. I hear the ugly voice telling me I’m being selfish all the time. Christian teaching and my own thoughts brought me to a place where I felt that if I did anything for me I must be selfish. I pray you can hear God’s voice calling you gently to rest in Him and to delight in His love for you as you rejoice in what He has done for you. Because He loved you and gave himself for you and that’s something to rejoice over (Galatians 2:20).
What a nice reminder! I had forgot that word. You inspired me to write a locus. That is what I call these tetrametric quatrains.
THINK ABOUT THAT
The praiseworthy and excellent
is very good to think about
since it is not convenient
when it is motivating you.
Happy Easter!
Thanks Anders, I appreciate your words. Happy Easter to you, too!!
Hello Leah, thank you for your comment on my blog. Please let me tell you it is impossible to find you when you comment with a Blogger account. Your Blogger profile lists three Blogger blogs, obviously all outdated, and there is no link there to this blog. I believe there is an option in the Blogger profile to list a web page which is not a Blogger blog. If you do, one may find you. But it will take much work, since one will go to the three outdated Blogger blogs first.
By the way, I have changed my locus a bit. I have changed the last line. Now it goes as follows:
THINK ABOUT THAT
The praiseworthy and excellent
is very good to think about
since it is not convenient,
astonishing and piquing you.
Thank you for the inspiration! 🙂 Have a nice week!
🙂 I am blind! 🙂 I get so involved with my creation I don’t see the formal mistakes. The locus is supposed to rhyme. So I hade to change the last line, again. Now it goes like this:
THINK ABOUT THAT
The praiseworthy and excellent
is very good to think about
since it is not convenient,
astonishing and pointing out.
I like it!
Thanks for the heads up. I was having trouble signing in with other accounts. I did not realize my google account linked directly to my very old blogger account. I appreciate you letting me know.