Thursday, October 13, 2011

Choose Joy!



I had the pleasure, a couple of months ago, to stumble onto a particular blog writer.

Each night, I would turn on my laptop and open the door to her life, slowly and quietly.

Her story grabbed my heart and it wouldn't let go.

At times, I held my face in my hands crying overwhelmed with emotion.
Other times, my face would hurt from smiling so big.

Her name was Sara.

Her friends knew her as the Gitzen Girl.
By the time I had the pleasure of finding Sara and her writings, she was deep into the final stages of her life here on this side of heaven.

She was dying.

When I found her, her friends had begun to write for her, because she was too weak herself to share.
I can't even begin to describe the love that poured from those writings.

Because of the love of her friends, I was given a tiny peek into the windows of her life.

For that, I am thankful.
I was blessed.
Oh, so blessed.

Sara had a way of living to the fullest even while she lay dying.

Her anthem of praise was Choose Joy,
and she held her torch tightly even during her last moments.

Sara has since gone on to sit at the feet of Jesus, to bask in the Everlasting Joy.
What a sweet celebration that must have been for her!
What a sweet embrace that must have been for them.


She ran her race with endurance.

Her love for God increased with every passing day, and it was evident in her harvest of friends.

Her life bore much fruit.


Sara Chose Joy.

And now, Joy has chosen her.

Her life of Joy has inspired me in more ways than one.

*************
I'd like to dedicate each Thursday of my blog to Sara.

It will be called Choose Joy in honor of her.

It will be all of the things that have brought me Joy that week.

All of the things that He has chosen to give me, that sometimes I just don't see, or choose not to.

Joy is everywhere, you just have to choose to see it.

*One of this week's moments of  Joy was found in the oddest of places.

It was found in "x".

It was found in my fourteen year old homeschooling freshman running into my room screaming Joyfully,

"Guess what! Guess what!  I know what "x" is!"

I looked at her smiling and responded,
"You do now? What is it?"

With her eyes all a glow, like she had just found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, she says...
" X is five."


Before yesterday,
 I was convinced that people in hell were tormented by being made to do algebra problems.

It's been our greatest challenge in our new homeschool journey.

I haven't done algebra in ages, and I really didn't plan on ever doing it again.

It's caused me to be doubtful of what I am doing in this whole "homeschooling my kids" thing.

I pray each day for God to be my guide, because honestly, I don't know what I am doing and if I am even doing it right sometimes.

He reassures me,
"I've given you all that you need.  It's inside of you."

Really?
  Algebra is somewhere on the inside of my "mommy drained brain"?

His confidence in me, is much more than I deserve at times.

But, exactly what I need ALL of the time.

So for this week,
I will grasp a hold of the Joy that is "x".

I will hold onto the Joy that is the confidence that my Father has in me.


Other Joys that I found this week:


*My husband kissing me softly on the cheek before he leaves for work, and saying,
"I love your face, your cheeks are so soft."
(After 22 years together that's good to hear)

*Watching my kids giggle and play together instead of fighting.

*Crock pot meals.
(Bean soup with smoked tasso!)

*Having dinner with my daughter who has been away at Bible College.

*Quiet filled moments before the kids wakeup.

*God's unfaltering Grace.

*Psalm 27:13-14
I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.

*My new picnic table my husband made me.

*After 39 years, having the courage to begin writing my story.

*A future that I can not see, but I know that He has already planned.


Choose to find your own Joy today!!




Nehemiah 8:10
...the JOY of the Lord is your strength.



Psalms 16:11
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of JOY,
at Your right hand are pleasures evermore.



















2 comments:

  1. This is such a blessing. Watching Sara live and die was an amazing gift. Your Thursdays here will honor her well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you Deidra. I pray that they do. :)

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Proverbs 17:22 "A joyful heart is good medicine"


THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

Hope your visit was a pleasant one. Be blessed and come back soon!