I choose joy...

We had a wonderful talk today from an amazing woman who really poured out her heart - and when all was said and done, she drove home the fact that we always have a choice... in all we do, in all life brings, we have a choice. and she challenged us to make a conscious effort to choose joy in all things! I've been pondering the talk all day and tried to come up with a simple way to remind myself in my daily living with kids that I frequently need a reminder that I am still able to choose joy, even when I really don't want to . Here's my reminder!


When I'm greeted by little kids, ready to take on the day at 5:45am, I choose joy.

When I discover poop spread throughout the house and still running up and down my little girl's leg, I choose joy.

When I'm riding in the car and all I hear is "MINE MINE MINE" resounding in my ears, I choose joy.

When my son throws a tantrum and spits and hits and throws his toys, I choose joy.

When the kitchen is a pit and I still don't know what's for dinner, I choose joy.

When it takes all my effort just to get out the door for a walk to the mailbox, I choose joy.

When my children step in a big pile of dogpoop in the backyard, I choose joy.

When my entire evening is filled with calls from telemarketers, I choose joy.

When I burn an entire lunch of corn dogs, chicken nuggets, and popcorn shrimp, I choose joy.

When my husband tells my children a story after I made perfectly clear that there would be no story tonight, I choose joy.

When my only goal for the day is to complete one load of laundry and it just doesn't get done, I choose joy.

When a glass of milk gets spilled every single night at dinner, I choose joy.

The bottom line is this. There are many simple things that transpire in a day and I so often forget that I have a choice and I can choose joy - and tonight's blip serves to remind me of that choice. Goodnight all!