Skip to main content

joie de vivre

I have a confession to make: when it comes to my kids, I'm a hypocrite.

That may sound a bit harsh, but it's true.

Like parents from all over the world, I strive to raise my kids to follow God. I want them to know Him deeply, to realize just how amazing it is that the Creator of the Universe chose them--that He loves them. I want them to walk closely to Him
and to have the peace that passes all understanding, to realize that their joy is not defined by their circumstances.

The thing is, lately I've let my circumstances steal my joy.

It didn't happen all at once, but there's no denying that my once ever-present optimism and joie de vivre have faded these last few years.

Yes, the circumstances in my life have been hard. If you read through some old posts you can see that it's been a hard decade, one I never could have imagined. I can't change what all has happened, even if I wanted to--life's funny that way.

The thing is, I can change how I react to things.

I can stop pitying myself when things go wrong.
I can choose not to dwell on the negatives.
I can remember that, no matter what happens, I have the only assurance I need:
 "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." ~Genesis 28:15
Labels:

Comments

  1. JillJune 2, 2014 at 7:19 PM

    Can totally relate, especially today for some unknown reason. You bring up good reminders.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thoughts? I would love to hear them!
~Mandy

Popular posts from this blog

Know your worth

Love yourself Live your truth Follow your heart Do what's right for you Get what you deserve Believe in yourself  The world is all about telling us how we should view ourselves. What we think and feel is valued above all else--don't let anybody else tell you what you should do, just live your best life right now. And while you're living that best life, remember that you should be given the best at all times--after all, you're worth it. But what are we really worth? If you look at the chemical basis, here's approximately what we've got: 65% oxygen 18.5% carbon 9.5% hydrogen 2.6% nitrogen 1.3% calcium 0.6% phosphorous 0.2% potassium 0.2% sulfur 0.2% sodium 0.2% chlorine 0.1% magnesium There are more elements at even lower amounts, but altogether? Estimates vary, but going off of the prices of chemical elements listed on wikipedia, you're looking at around $30. Obviously, we're more than the sum of our parts, though. Right? So what does the bible say abou...
Post a Comment
Read more

what's next?

My husband and I were talking to our kids the other day about how important it is for them to learn to stand for their beliefs and live the life God has called them to now, while it is easy. We were talking about how one day in the future, they will most likely be forced to either cave to the world or stand for God, and in that moment the decision will mean a whole lot more than just social standing. Right now, Christians in the United States have been given a reprieve. The election of Trump was honestly not something I expected. I've written for quite a few years now about the decline of our nation, and I know I'm not the first--or only--one to point out the downward spiral of morality that we've been seeing for decades. As a nation founded by men who claimed the protection of God, I truly believe we chose to be held to the standards of the covenants we entered. God keeps His side of His promises--the good and the bad. That means that broken covenants have consequences. Wh...
Post a Comment
Read more

Psalm 19

                    "The celestial realms announce God’s glory;      the skies testify of His hands’ great work. Each day pours out more of their sayings;      each night, more to hear and more to learn. Inaudible words are their manner of speech,      and silence, their means to convey. Yet from here to the ends of the earth, their voices have gone out;      the whole world can hear what they say." (Psalm 19:1-4, VOICE)
Post a Comment
Read more