Joyfull Living

 Happy New Year! Today is New Year's Day and it is a day with a quiet house and a quiet heart of reflection. Writing is a passion of mine, and this blog was created as a keepsake of life's cherished moments as well as a creative outlet for writing. Apparently, my aspirations fell short in 2024 as only 2 blog posts were written! Even though blog writing did not hit the priority list, through the year, several other disciplines impacted my life. Monthly focuses were marked and followed. A spiritual daily goal, a physical daily goal and a boundary to keep excesses in check were logged and checked or left unchecked each day for accountability.  January always brings the excitement of newness. For this month, my spiritual goal is to Read, Write and Meditate. Daily Scripture reading is a powerful habit for anyone to implement. Although this is an established habit in my life, often it is easy to read and simply go on with the day without the message becoming lodged in the heart...

 It's almost Happy New Year! This week of the year always feels like a week held up in suspension.  It is the last week of the year, Christmas has past, and a new year will begin in a few days. This is a great week for reflection over the past year's accomplishments, memories, situations and/or crisis that were walked through. Pondering the good times, identifying things looking back we may have handled differently. We may have seen choices and consequences, striving and achievements, victories or simply living each day.  While the memories are fresh in our minds, we have new year of opportunity just within our reach. The freshness of the new year calls us to ponder what could be. What are new habits we would like to see in our lives, what opportunities do we want to embrace or what can we focus on to make a difference in our realm of life.  This is a perfect time to evaluate where we are going in life and if are we on the best track. What would it take to improve? W...

 When the ' Elf on a Shelf" became popular, my boys were too old to appreciate the fun having an elf appear in the home in a variety of places and poses! I still have "Elfie", but he stays in one place the entire Christmas season! A recent devotion I read talked about putting "Self on a Shelf" . There isn't anything wrong with having traditions and doing fun things, even things that necessarily don't have a spiritual aspect, but I don't want to spend so much time on trivial things at Christmas that I miss really showing the love of Jesus through my life.  Selfless living should be the focus of what Christmas is about for us as Christians. Not living for ourselves but for the Christ who came to be born, live, and die for us. Self shouldn't have any part in us as Christians. If we are really going to celebrate Jesus and why He came we are going to have to follow His example. He ministered. He served. He was humble. He put Self on a Shelf. We...

  It is less than 10 days until Christmas and the excitement and activities are going full speed. Most of us are filled with anticipation and preparation of time with family, food and sweet fellowship.  This is also a year that we are probably are acquainted with or a part of families that are struggling with grief. The loss of a loved one is always painful, but the holidays seem to magnify the feeling of loss. There is a huge, gaping hole in hearts, homes and families. The traditions and events that can add so much joy and meaning to the season are punctuated with painful reminders of the person we love who is not here to share in it. Traditions will be different, there is an empty spot at the table and it becomes apparent, things will never be the same. For those who’ve recently lost someone they love, the holidays can seem more like something to survive than to enjoy. While those of us who surround grieving people can’t fix the pain of loss, we can bring comfort as we ...

 For many centuries, the Church has identified the beginning of the Christmas celebration with a time of reflection and expectation called Advent. The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival" and, when used in conjunction with Christmas, reminds us of the anticipation and expectation held over hundreds of years by the people of Israel for their Messiah and promised King. As we enter the Christmas season, there is an air of expectancy all around us. But it has transitioned from the traditional Advent - to one filled with expectancy of the things the season holds - the beauty of lights and sounds, time with family, gifts. Christmas is coming and we often get lost in the preparations and our expectations fades.  But Christmas is a magical time, there is a song in the air, if we allow it, the atmosphere changes. Christ has come into the world and we celebrate His birth!  Luke 1:78-79 " Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has vi...

We've welcomed November and watched as it moves quickly along! One week from today is Thanksgiving - which switches our lives into holiday mode for the rest of the year. Looking ahead, we know these days will be filled with more activity, more tasks, busyness and a shift from our normal routines. When we look at the holidays from that perspective, it makes my heart rate increase and an anxious feeling begin in stomach! But as a Christian, I know there is a beauty in savoring the season when I remind myself that these days can be filled with peace and joy instead of dread and anxiety. Thanksgiving and the Christmas season are opportunities to sit and ponder the blessings of God. We begin by counting our blessings and thanking Him for them. This often requires us to look past our pain, struggles and situations and look for a spark of hope, a tiny thread of something good we can grasp. When we look, we can always find something good and something to be thankful for. This season offers...

  A trip to the mountains makes fall come alive for me! The area we live in doesn't provide much change of the seasons through weather or scenery. I do my best to bring on the fall atmosphere in my home through scent, sight and taste, but my efforts only go so far. We just returned from a trip where fall was truly experienced! A log cabin on the banks of a river, streets lined with the beauty of brightly colored changing leaves, walks along a lake, mountain drives and fresh, cool air. This is what fall looks like! It brings life to the soul! Today is November 1 - and this month brings a beauty all its own - the beauty of  Gratitude.  Like my fall mountain experience, November truly captures a spirit of gratitude as we turn our minds and plans towards the Thanksgiving holiday. Gratitude is a mind shift that moves us to thankfulness. We are reminded and think on the blessings we have and thank God for all His goodness to us. Here are a few benefits that gratitude brings Gra...

 Fall is my favorite season! In our area, the weather is not yet cool, but fall is in the air, There is an anticipation as we eagerly await the change of seasons.  I love to decorate my home for fall.  My family tells me I begin way too early, but this is my way of bringing on the beauty of fall. All of the stores have beautiful fall displays and items that just beckon you to bring them home!   If you want to fill your home with the feeling of fall, look for ways to engage all of the senses - sight, sounds, smell, taste and touch. Here are some easy ways to fill your home with fall.  I'm also including some of my personal finds. It's not too early to shop, there is a great selection available now! 1. Add a pop of color by replacing everyday pillows with fall themed styles.  *My newest pillow - from Dollar General! 2. Set the mood with the soft glow of lanterns. 3. Add a cozy element with warm, textured throws.  4. Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins. You...

Happy Labor Day! While we enjoy a day off and hopefully filled with time spent with family and relaxation, it is also a good time to refresh our hearts and minds on the value of work. Labor Day is set aside to celebrate the value and dignity of work. The Bible has some concrete things to teach us about work. Work is not a curse, but part of our created purpose so that we can serve God. By design, work brings various benefits to others and us. 1. Work is a gift from God. Since the beginning, work has been part of God’s plan for humanity. He created it. That means you can view the act of working as a gift, even if you don’t love your job. It is not only the working of our hands, but the attitude of our heart. 2. Those who are able to work should do so. Both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible speak highly of work and condemn laziness. *Billy Graham commented on this subject by adding “Please note that this wasn’t spoken to people who couldn’t find jobs. This was instead directed a...

This weekend is Mother's Day and you have probably noticed an abundance of beautiful items that grace the entrance to the stores we visit. Cards, mugs, flowers, beautiful signs, all gifts that express to moms the special role they play in our lives.  Today's Five Minute Friday writing prompt is "She".   A very simple, yet appropriate topic for this Friday! Christians moms during this time of the year often reflect on the biblical passage of Proverbs 31. In its context, it is a mother writing to her son - a king - about the virtues of a wife that he should be seeking for. Every mother with sons has that same desire, for him to find a wife filled with virtue and honor.  As the Bible often does, it reflects a question or pondering that reflects back to ourselves. In the Proverbs 31 passage, we tend to examine our life based on these qualities and may find we come up lacking! This is not the description of an unattainable, perfect woman, but qualities that all women shou...

 Early on New Year's Day, I was laying awake, wishing I could sleep in a little later, but pondered in my mind this was the first morning of 2021. The sound of a ping from the other room alerted me that a text had come in to my cell phone. If someone was reaching out this early in the morning, it needed some attention. Grabbing my coffee and my phone, the text was from a dear friend, sharing concern about a loved one who is struggling with illness in the hospital. The text conversation went from her sharing concern, to my giving an update. The loved one is in very serious condition and my friend shared the depth of her prayer of pleading with God for the miracle that is needed. But she also shared the alternative, if God didn't answer the prayer the way we would like, He was still in control. "Does that make sense?" she asked.  Wrapped in a cozy blanket, coffee and Bible in hand, our text conversation continued. Some hard thoughts were shared, thoughts of those criti...

Our Christmas traditions have been changed and perfected through the years.  They have seen us through being a family with young children, spending the entire Christmas day visiting our families in a variety of places. That was when we were young and had tons of energy!  As we began to put our own roots down, we spent more time at home but balanced huge meals between sweet hubby's side of the family as well as time with my side of the family. We would overload on food and family, still trying to cram it all into one day. Finally, a Christmas compromise was made which fit us well for many years. Christmas Eve was spent with sweet hubby's family - a large, loud and fun gathering and Christmas Night, I cooked dinner for my side of the family, which is much smaller, but filled with cozy fellowship. This Christmas, due to sickness on both sides of our families, the Christmas gatherings were cancelled. No large annual fellowship with all the in-laws, no warm, intimate dinner with mi...

This week - the days that fall right after Christmas and before New Year's Day have always been a special and unique time for me. It is almost like a pause in time mixed in with a dose of anticipation. There is just something special about a new year. It is a perfect time to wipe the slate clean, to get up and try again with the momentum of newness spurring us on. A New Year, a time to ponder things we would like to change, things we would like to do better and breath in the air of opportunity that is around us.   We’re in the practice of resolutions. These prayers for the New Year will move us toward spiritual renewal too. God clearly designed us for internal renewal. The Lord does a spiritual renovation in each person He indwells. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” As new creations, our hearts, minds, and desires begin to mimic Christ’s. Yet even our new hearts need ...

Can you believe it's Christmas Eve? This is a night usually filled with family traditions and time spent with loved ones. It is a night that stirs up childhood memories and spurs us to eagerly make new traditions in our families. For the majority of us, this Christmas Eve will look much different than in the past. Many families have been affected by the pandemic of 2020. There may be grief at a loss in our family, or a sickness that keeps some away from our celebrations. Or simply caution, that keeps our gatherings from being what they once were. Whatever the reason, this Christmas looks and feels much different.  My first thoughts when realizing our family Christmas would be different this year were disappointment and sorrow. If there is anything stable through the year, it is Christmas! With a loved one sick and in the hospital and others staying home to protect themselves, we must adapt to not being together, which is heartbreaking. It just doesn't feel like Christmas when w...

Do you decorate on a dime or decorate with a theme? Decorating is not something that I excel at. I love surrounding myself with pretty things, especially in the home and my personal taste is usually the standard used. Often the theme is simply finding things I like and making a place for them!  But I have learned the value of a common thread or theme. It could be as simple as a pattern that is carried in a few different décor pieces. A common color, pattern or theme placed in various places 'ties the look together'. It allows the eye to travel through the home and make a connection of festive beauty.  At our church, there is a main person who decorates the church for all seasons and activities. Creating beauty is something she does wonderfully, especially at Christmas. This year, due to illness, she was unable to decorate the church and called out for some help. Five ladies, myself included, came to evaluate and make a plan to decorate the church. The first night, I could tell...

There was a phone call that needed to be made and I had been putting it off all day.  A church friend from many years ago had passed away. I was a young mother, she was older, more experienced and a gal who was full of life! She was bold, outspoken, passionate and lots of fun. We weren't exceptionally close, but she had a fierce love for anyone she knew. Our paths grew apart, but her family always held a special part in our life with fond memories of days gone by. The phone call was to be made to her son, one I had not seen in over 20 years. Would he remember who I was, he was just a young man when I last saw him. The call was placed and as I identified myself, he greeted me by name warmly. A beautiful conversation flowed filled with memories and sharing of his mother's influence on many.  He did remember our family and shared fond memories of families in the church who meant much to him.  While we caught up from the years, he shared that in his grief, he found his mother...

Nothing says cozy like a home filled with the presence of fall. There is just something about fall that makes our homes more inviting, warm and welcoming. In my opinion, fall makes everything feel and look better!  I LOVE the season of fall and one of the highlights in my home is decorating for the season. I've been accused of putting fall decor out too early (never!), but I love what it brings to the home. Granted, this love for fall decor can take one down a trail of excess. For years, I would browse the fall section of every store and grab whatever looked good to me and find a place to put it. Sometimes, you can have too much fall! Through the years, my decorating has changed from buying it all and trying to find a place for it, to pausing and allowing fall to be a beautiful balance. Our fall homes can be experienced through each of our senses. Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste and Touch. Simply filling the home with fall decor may be pretty, but day in and out can become clutter and u...

The month of June has come and is already on the way out! The months seem to fly by, but June is one month out of the year for me that holds an entire year worth of emotion. In the span of a few weeks in June some momentous anniversaries occur. First the anniversary of my father's death, then my wedding anniversary and then the holiday of Father's Day. Many posts have been written sharing our family story. They can be found under 'Crisis" and "Grief" labels on the sidebar.  Through the years, these dates that hold utmost significance in my life cause me to pause and be thankful for the fatherly influences that have come to a beautiful fruition.   My father - no words are needed to what a father means to a girl. Her hero, protector, friend, advisor and the one influence that can fill her heart with love and acceptance.  No father is perfect and mine made some choices that negatively affected our family, but I never doubted his love for a minute.  My wedding ...

Dads....their day is coming up this weekend. This special day comes just weeks after Mother's Day which is a day mothers enjoy a day of recognition and pampering.  Father's play an important role in our families, churches and communities. Their leadership affects generations to come as well as leaves a legacy to follow. A godly father is the foundation of the home and his influence can be unlimited.  While Mother's Day gifts seem to be easy, beautiful and full of meaning and sentiment, gift giving for the fathers in my life is hard. There is no emotion in a neck tie or sporting goods item. Most men are practical and would rather not have another item that is not functional and useful laying around (taking space on the dresser!).  A perfect gift for dad is the sentiment of appreciation and respect.  Instead of gifts, words are especially meaningful. I found a link that has encouraging messages from Scripture just for dad.  You can print them off, cut out, write a...