Finding My Joy

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I posted about finding joy yesterday and the beautiful thing was that the Lord allowed me to find my own joy yesterday!

I have to be honest and say that I've felt kind of blah this Christmas. Some of the excitement and joy I always feel has been missing. I've had no motivation to write cards, make cookies or even think about gifts. I wandered aimlessly around the stores the other day, trying to figure out what I could get my family. I finished the shopping but wasn't really enthused about what I got.

Dan & I always organize the Christmas eve service together and even there I've had a blank slate - no ideas, nothing.  My creative mental juices are stopped up!  I mentioned to Dan the other night that I had no idea what was wrong with me but I really was feeling like I wanted to skip right over Christmas this year.

However, yesterday I had volunteered to help a friend clean her house. She has health issues and some things she can't do herself. So I spent about 2 hours there dusting and vacuuming. A part of me was wondering why I would volunteer in the busiest time of the year but I'm so glad I did.  We turned on Christmas music and fellowshipped together as I dusted and she worked on some projects she needed to do.

I came home feeling joyful for the first time in a few weeks. I felt that spark of excitement about Christmas. I ended up baking a few batches of cookies, mailed some cards and watched a Christmas movie with my family.

I'm so thankful that God allowed a service to someone else to rekindle that joy that I was missing.  I realized that it's been a while since I've been able to do something like that and how much I always enjoy it.  I was also reminded of the title and theme verses of my blog.

Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV) ~

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

It's nice to be reminded every now and then of what is really important! ;-)  I spent the first part of the month so busy with crafting and sales and things that truly don't matter in the grand scheme of life.  I'm thankful that God sent me that little wake-up call!
 

Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 17, 2015 at 12:13 PM

    Dear Terri, Amen & Amen! Thanks to your blog, I memorized the verse at the top of your home page (and hope to put it into practice more often)! Someone told me (and maybe you've already heard it too)that JOY stands for:
    J esus first,
    O thers second, and
    Y ourself last.

    Your posts are so encouraging! I love coming here! Joy and blessings to you and your family!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TerriDecember 17, 2015 at 1:21 PM

      I have heard of the joy acronym and it's a good way to remember how to have it!

      Delete

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