When was the last time you felt joy?

Do you even know what joy is?

Can you honestly say that you have felt that deep down feeling of true joy lately?

Let me clarify something here.

Joy and fun are two totally different animals.

Fun is external. It involves outside stimuli that gives you a temporary “high” for lack of better words.

Fun can be had through watching a funny movie, hearing a joke, doing something enjoyable, etc…

“Fun is a good thing but only when it spoils nothing better.”
- George Santayana

Enter Joy

Joy comes from within. It’s that deep down pleasure-filled “completeness” that is true fulfillment.

Joy is nirvana. Joy allows you to acquire incredible happiness from your environment. When in joy, you are open to the world around you and enjoy the simple things.

“Joy is not in things. It is in us.”
- Richard Wagner

To overly simplify the concept:

Fun is external.
Joy is internal.

You search for fun.
Joy seeks you.

As long as you are occupying your mind 24/7, true joy will have a hard time finding you. Joy needs an open door. You can find this open door with a little silence and being open to it.

For example, as I’m writing this, I just sat back and was still for a few minutes. Shortly thereafter, I heard a bird singing outside my window that I didn’t notice before. It’s beautiful tones are a true blessing, indeed. It fills my soul. I’m grateful for the experience.

Last night I watched a goofy movie with my husband. (Yes, I enjoy stupid humor.) I laughed incessantly at the offbeat humor. That was fun.

Listening and truly enjoying the tunes from a little bird is joy.

Therein lies the difference.

Fun is fleeting.
Joy sticks with you.

So, why not sit back, really think about it and ask yourself:

Are you ready to trade in a little fun for some joy in your life?

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Last week I ran across this video and it inspired so much, I went out to buy the movie. Facing my own giants lately, I felt a connection with this type of “feel good” and inspirational movie. Facing the Giants is just such a movie.

This scene motivated me to realize that sometimes you just gotta keep on going, despite how bad it hurts. And somehow, you end up amazed at what you can really accomplish.

At first, I was distracted by the less than stellar acting but the message was so good that I seemed to get used to it after a while. I had never heard of this movie before I saw the above clip.

To my amazement, I found that every person in the movie went to Sherwood Baptist Church, and weren’t even actors. I just figured it was a low-budget movie, but found that it was made on a shoestring budget in Athens, GA.

It was created for the simple reason to get the message out and a good message it has. It’s definitely a Christian movie, which will turn some people off. That’s their choice. It will also turn off some people because it’s too “cheesy” and “unrealistic.” That’s also their choice.

But guess what? It will inspire some people like it did me and that’s why I choose to share it.

What really resonated with me was the way the lead character had his life literally falling apart around him and when he finally found his faith everything seemed to start to turn around. An inspiration, indeed.

Maybe I found it to be so inspiring simply because I have been at such a crossroads in my own life. Whatever the reason, I feel better off for watching it and hope my sharing it inspires someone else who may need it as well!

I found it in a local Christian bookstore but I paid a lot more than if you purchase it through the above link from Amazon. It’s less than half of what I paid. I think it was well worth the amount I paid!

Another bonus is the soundtrack It’s awesome!

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Yesterday when getting out of the truck at the grocery store we heard, “Excuse me” in a cute little voice.

My husband and I stopped and turned around to find the voice came from an adorable little boy about 8 years old or so and his mom.

He immediately started reciting a very well-rehearsed speech, showing us what he had made and asking if we’d like to donate “only $5.00″ to help “people like me, see, I was born without a thumb” and mentioned it was through the Boy’s Club of St. Louis.

Oh, he was sooooooooo cute, and so brave and I just HAD to buy one. (That shouldn’t surprise you!)

It even touched my husband since he almost immediately looked at me and said, “Do you have a five?” (You should know that’s a HUGE impact on MY husband!)

I asked his mom if I could take a picture to put with my blog post but she declined, saying if it were her decision she’d be fine with it but they’ve got their rules.

She said it made him feel good to know I wanted to. (Now THAT made my day!)

She said they do it to raise money, but also to get the kids out of their shell because most of them are very backward due to being picked on.

Very sad, indeed…

I wished them well and they both said, “God bless you.”

Simply amazing…

I tell you, it made my day. That young man inspired me tremendously!

It definitely made me think about the comfort level he has to have developed to walk up to strangers and go into his speech. (His mom said that about three quarters of the people just walk away or they’ll listen to his speech and then say, “No.”)

It also made me think about how grateful I am to have both of my thumbs (and every other finger/toe/limb.)

How we take these things for granted.

But watching how he handed the picture to me between his pointer and middle finger made me realize it’s such a blessing just to have fully functioning everything.

When was the last time you thought about how truly blessed you are for:

• Your health? - It could go in an instant.
• Your body? - Ever have to deal with a broken arm or other limb? How did that temporarily disrupt your life?
• Your sight? - Close your eyes and try to live your life.
• Your hearing? - Imagine being without music, reading people’s lips, etc…
• Smell? - Your favorite dinner, flowers, a freshly powdered baby.

And the list goes on….

Are you feeling a bit of gratitude (and possibly shame) right now?

I know I certainly am feeling the gratitude… I’ve learned that shame is useless (right along with blame and other low-vibration emotions!)

As I’ve pointed out before, I have the tendency (call it a gift, a curse or otherwise) to see things in a different light. Some people call my way of looking at things a blessing, others call me just plain weird.

Let them.

I just wonder how many of those people who told our brave young man “No” even THOUGHT about him again?

I wonder how many of them dogged him for bothering them?

I wonder IF any of them regretted not helping him.

If so, then his message of inspiration at least somewhat got across.

No judgment comes from me toward the ones who “opted out” so to speak.

It’s their choice.

I just hope that sweet, sweet, brave little boy with one thumb made a difference in their lives.

I know he did mine…

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In Jeannette Maw’s recent blog post, she talks about her recent battle with “the scaries” - the gremlins we all face from time to time.

Most of us wouldn’t have the courage to publicly talk about it, and that’s what sets Jeanette apart.

I have total respect for Jeannette, and so I’m following suit. I just posted a blog post about all of the stuff going wrong (the stuff I can even talk about) in the past week.

I know the sun will come out tomorrow.

I also know you’re now humming that song, thanks to me.

I also know you’ll hum it all day and probably curse me for putting it in your head.

Hopefully you won’t hold it against me!

Seriously, though, things always get better.

It really never is as bad as it seems.

This too shall pass is great advice.

At the time you are going through stuff, it’s the last thing you want to hear, though…

I’m with ya.

I sometimes feel like ripping out the hair of anyone who tells me how good I have it.

Hey, I’m human.

And so are you.

You have the right to wallow at times.

But the main thing is to get over it so you don’t keep creating more of the same for you.

Man, I sometimes need to listen to myself! I’d have it much easier if I did.

It is easy to get all wrapped up in our day to day drama and your mind goes wild, looking at the worst case scenario.

Hey, it just happened to me this morning!

Fortunately, I’m learning to recognize it where before I let myself be pulled in.

I could have been pulled into the abyss, however I find it much easier to let some things go that I may have put my dukes up on before.

I’m learning to choose my battles.

I sometimes choose the difficult ones.

I sometimes realize I thought I was equipped to handle an especially trying battle.

But in the end, I always chose correctly.

Perseverance is a good thing.

The tough lessons are sometimes the most rewarding ones - and most of the time they’re just what we needed to learn.

So, I write.

And live.

And learn.

I find that sometimes I learn the most by the words that come through me when I sit at my keyboard.

Some of it’s crap.

Some of it’s good.

But it’s ok because it’s MINE.

And guess what?

The sun will come out tomorrow… (and you thought you were going to get it outta your head…….)

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Twice in the last week I’ve heard someone say, “How do you keep such a positive attitude when you’re going through so much in your life?”

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t go around complaining about my life. These were simply conversations with friends, when they asked how things were going.

I usually keep a bright outlook on life in general and I’m usually the one to point out the bright side.

It got me to thinking:

• How DO I remain positive?
• And WHY do I keep such a positive outlook on life?
• Just WHY DID I end up with so much “stuff” to deal with?
• What good would a pity party be, anyway?
• What can I learn from these situations and setbacks?
• These lessons are trying to tell me something and it’s time to start listening.

And then, for the first time in my life, I had a panic attack.

Talk about scary!

I realized I wasn’t really as “positive” as I appeared on the outside. I felt like the world was crashing down around me and seriously felt I was having a heart attack. I was nervous and jittery, dizzy, felt sort of like I was in a fog.

Scary stuff, I tell ya!

I realized my body was trying to tell me something, and it was now shouting at me loud and clear! I definitely had some more clearing work to do…

I found it really odd that a lot of what has gone wrong in the last week was electrical.

The house needs rewiring - several rooms have totally lost their power.

The air conditioner went out and only blows out hot air.

The dryer won’t heat up.

The electricity went out to our “storage” refrigerator and we lost all the food.

My van’s alarm keeps going off for no apparent reason.

My husband’s truck alarm quit working.

When you turn off the dryer, the basement lights turn on.

During a rainstorm on Friday, my husband found water coming into the electrical box from outside. (of course, that logically seems to be the root of the problem.)

Oh, yeah, and did I mention, we don’t have the money to fix any of it? (lawyers’ fees will do that to you!)

***ROCK*** ***Here’s my new home*** ***HARD PLACE***

It’s like a flippin’ haunted house around here now!

Throw in a custody battle, a strained marital relationship, mother-in-law in nursing home and pressure to go out there all the time, bickering in-laws and silly games and it’s no wonder I had a panic attack.

There’s also stuff I can’t mention here that more than quadruples the stress.

Way too much pressure!

I just need to learn to not internalize it like I did this week.

So, my brilliant readers, how about a little advice FOR me this time?

How would YOU handle this much stress all at once?

I of course gravitate toward gratitude. It’s always my saving grace.

I’ve been doing some EFT and that helps. But, man, sometimes you just get overwhelmed!

I try to make my blog posts FOR YOU and not ABOUT ME usually, but for a while I’m just gonna write for my own therapy. I hope you understand and stick with me.

So, let’s hear from all of you.

What advice do you have for me?

Hopefully, I’ll be back up to speed soon!

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