Joy

This morning's sermon was one that I so desperately needed to hear. The lesson was about finding joy outside of our life circumstances and instead finding joy in God. We looked at the example of Paul's life and his letter to the Philippians to learn about joy.

JOY! We are told we can feel it every day if we know how to go after it. Here are the things Doug Raymer pointed out.

What Paul didn't do:
Complain - Phil. 2:14 "Do all things without grumbling or questioning."Hold grudges - Phil1:15-18
Worry about pointless things - Phil.3:7-8
Dwell on the past - Phil.3:13 What would Paul's life be like if he dwelled on his not so great past? He had a bunch to be ashamed of, but he asked for forgiveness and moved on. If only all of us chose to do the same.

What Paul did:
Expressed gratitude - Phil.1:3
Built and nurtured relationships - Phil.1:7-8, 4:1
Had hope for the future - Phil.1:18-20,3:20-21
Saw the good in his life - Phil.1:12-13
Pursued a noble purpose - Phil.1:21,3:14
Practiced humility - Phil.2:3-4
Prayed about his difficulties - Phil.4:6-7
Thought beautiful thoughts - Phil.4:8
Content with what he had - Phil.4:11-12

Phil.4:13 "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." That includes living a joyful life through many trials and pain or even just daily annoyances.

This is a lesson I need to remember every day. Too often we blame our circumstances for our feelings. My job makes me stressed. My spouse drives me crazy. So and so hurt by feelings. But the truth is joy is within ourselves, within our control, within our reach. Through God all things are possible.

Joy is a choice each of us should be making.

Learning to Laugh . . . at myself

I must admit, I think I've learned the lesson of laughing at myself pretty well over the years. Between the lack of balance, my red face at any sign of exercise or embarrassment and my amazing ability to stick my foot in my mouth. Learning to laugh at myself is a lesson I get day in and day out.

Yesterday I wasn't the only one to laugh at myself, my coworkers and bosses got a good laugh too.

I had been corresponding with a woman back and forth for several days and knew she had typed her phone number at the bottom of one of her messages. I clicked on it, scrolled down and found the phone number.

Two rings into the phone call my own cell phone starts ringing with my main office line showing as the number that was calling. (No matter where the phone call is from, it always shows the main line.) I was curious, picked up the phone and said hello. Immediately hearing my own voice saying hello in my work phone.

I hung up both phones, put my head on my desk and began laughing. How did I call my own cell phone without realizing I was dialing my number?

Laughing at myself was a great break to a hard day. And I probably gave everyone else at the office a great break too.

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog. I'm sure not many people followed my first blog, but I thought it was time to get a blog that I could play with a little more.

I am also using this change as an opportunity to change the topic of my blog. I will still update everyone on the things going on with Matt and I, but I'm going to add a column type of entry. Meaning something that you would see in newspapers, magazines, that sort of thing.

I don't know if anyone will be interested on my thoughts about being a Christian woman, living life to its fullest and learning to love. But I hope it will effect a life or two and it will certainly take a load off of my mind.

I plan to use this blog as a way to get my thoughts on paper, organize them and as I think about how to explain what I am thinking I hope I will be able to focus on how to better myself in these areas.

As so many famous people have said (though I can't think of their names right now) a goal not written down is worthless. The same could be said for thoughts.

So here are my thoughts, my feelings, my opinions. Take them or leave them.