UB gave himself a time out yesterday because he didn't want to clean his room. He was in his room while I put laundry away and he tells me this:
UB: Mom, I guess I'll choose joy.
Me: Good, joy is so much better than sadness.
UB: (after several minutes), Mom, it's just not working.
Me: What's not working?
UB: Joy, it's just not working
When the boys have an attitude I tell them to choose joy. Then we sing "J is for Jesus, O is for others, and Y-I-I-I-I-I is for You" They start to laugh after we sing that song.
I realized that I'm like UB lots of times. I want Joy to find me. I don't want to make an effort to find Joy. I want to continue to be mad, to be sad, to just be. I want Joy to come to me and say "Hi, I'm joy and I've come to take over right now".
And then I realize that Joy does come up to me, I just choose to ignore it. I'd rather wallow in self pity. But when I do let Joy in, how wonderful it is. Knowing that I am putting Jesus first and myself last.
In the book "Naked Fruit" by Elisa Morgan, she says this about Joy "The fruit of Joy is confidence in God no matter what happens."
So no matter what is happening, choose Joy and know that God is present.
1 comment:
Umm, that was beautiful!! Really, that spoke to me. Thanks for sharing that.
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