Now...where did I put my JOY?

Life can be so very stressful.  And one person's stress might not seem like much in comparison to our own...but we all have it. 

Stress in whatever form it presents itself, can completely overwhelm us.  It takes over our thoughts and encompasses our very being.  It shows in our eyes, our actions and our words.  Even when we try not to allow it.  It creeps through in cracks we didn't know we had.

Sometimes...in my kitchen...I lose things.  Now, I know what you are thinking.  How in the world can one almost perfect person who lives in a spotless house lose something in their kitchen?  Well...it just happens. 

Okay, really...it happens because my counters are piled high with last night's dinner dishes and papers from last week's backpack unloading episodes.  There are birthday decorations from the weekend still hanging on the blinds and three weeks worth of unfinished laundry trickling down the hall. 

THAT is how you lose something in my house. 

Stress is what causes us to lose our Joy.  Losing our joy is so easy to do.  Stress can create such issues from within that we actually forget to celebrate the joyful things in our lives.  There is a line at the end of Braveheart where Mel Gibson (William Wallace) yells...

You may take our lives, but you'll never take our freedom!

If only we had that attitude when the dark clouds of stress come sneaking over our lives.  You can try to stress me out Satan...but you'll NEVER get my joy!

We have to find our joy in those situations and make it our mission to celebrate those joys in our lives even more than before.  There are things in our life that no one can take away.  The love we have for others.  The relationships we have...our love for Christ.  Those things can't be taken.  No matter what stumbles across our path. 

In times of stress...look for your joy.  Check the counters and under the laundry in the hall.  I usually find my joy on the face of my Little.  Or in the hug from my Middle.  The freckles on my Big's face...or in the cookie dough in the freezer.  The truth hurts.

Have a blessed day!
Amy