Recognize

*Please pray today for my Granny.  We went to see her last night and they have decided to move her from St. Joe to St. Francis to do back surgery.  The surgery itself seems fairly simple, but she is delicate and frightened.  Please pray for her and my Grandpa as this is the only option to relieve the severe pain she is in.  The surgery will hopefully take place some time between 4 and 5pm.  My cousin put it best when she said that Granny is the rock of our family.  We can't stand seeing her in this much pain.  Thank you for your prayers!*

Today, I was told by my devotion to make a list of things I find joy in.  Not just in what I find joy, but how I celebrate them.  If we find joy in the things that we have rather than wanting for things we don't...our lives will be more complete.  Well that makes sense.  And I have so been there...with lots of material things.  My car for instance.  It is a 2004 Toyota minivan. No one LOVES to drive a minivan.  I want a big, super cool SUV!  Instead, I have a soccer Mom minivan full of booster seats and the occasional french fry that Little has tossed around in the back seat.  I would have to assume that our super cool SUV would come with some stray french fries as well.

What I believe I am to learn is that instead of wanting something more than I already have...I have to find the joy in what I currently do have.  I have a minivan.  But it runs...it has heat and cool air...it has 7 seats so we never have to separate as a family when we go somewhere.  It has so much to offer us as a family.  It is safe...it is efficient...and it is ours...almost completely ours.

Finding the joy in what we have daily is a very important part of our lives that I overlook.  Not all of the time, but there are days.  I want to be taller, or skinnier, or a better athlete.  Okay...lets just say I want to have at least some athletic ability.  I want to make more money...I want to drive a different car...blah blah blah.

We have to find  joy in the now.  We will completely miss "now" if we are constantly wishing we had more or that we were something different.  The author of my devotion gave a few examples of celebrating the joys in her life. 

Taking walks...having the ability to do so with healthy legs.  This one I can so relate to.  Coach's Dad could not walk due to his MS.  So Coach NEVER takes for granted the ability to walk from the very end of the parking lot...or to run around our neighborhood.  Finding joy in the fact that we CAN walk?  Yes...that I can do.

Finding joy in fresh cut flowers.  They are beautiful.  They represent God's creation.  To buy them...they aren't too expensive and they offer such joy by just being themselves.  I am going to try this one for sure.  In fact...my cousin insisted last night that we purchase some flowers for my Granny.  And she was right...they were just beautiful enough to brighten up the room.  It really is in the little things.

The sunshine...this one I love.  When it gets warm enough in the spring, I'll just go sit on my deck for 20 minutes or so in the sunshine.  I love it!  I am so blessed that I have the opportunity to soak up the rays and enjoy that part of God's creation.  It is warm...it makes me feel better...and I have it as much as I want it.  Except for on rainy days.  :D

This one is my own...but finding joy in the one you married.  We all know that marriage can be a grind. Day in and day out...life gets in the way of the joy that love can bring.  But celebrating the person that I married is something that brings me joy.  Watching him teach and coach...interacting with other people.  It is amazing how proud I am and how thankful I become when I realize and recognize how blessed I am to be his wife. 

The list could go on  and on. Of course I find joy in my boys.  They bring me joy most days by just a smile or a thumbs up.  Just the other day Little said..."I love you Momma" as he scrunched up his nose...smiled his little bitty smile and gave me a thumbs up.  The image is hopefully forever burned in my mind.  I never want to forget those moments.  And part of that comes from my post the other day about being present in them.  Being present and recognizing the pure joy that comes from the little things we already have.

Thank you Lord.  You are teaching me so much right now.  I can feel the personal growth as it is happening and it is so cool! 

Have a Blessed Friday All!  WE MADE IT!!!
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