Tag Archive | Bible

Discovering Joyful Living: A Personal Reflection

You know, it’s so easy to say, “I want to be joyful” but what exactly does that mean?

I remember speaking on the topic of “Joy” at a women’s retreat. One of the sessions was titled “Joy in the Journey”. Now, anyone who knows me is aware it’s not the journey that does it for me…

It’s THE RESULTS!!!

I am definitely a results oriented person. I find great pleasure in immediate gratification. The journey is equivalent to waiting and waiting is not one of my strong suits! With that said, I was given the word “Joyful” for 2025. I definitely better figure this out before the year is up…My days are fleeting! Heck 2024 came and went before I realized it!

So with that said, I guess a good place to start is with the definition of Joyful.

JOYFUL: experiencing pleasure, satisfaction, or delight

Hmmm…based on that definition, I would say I’m pretty joyful. Well, most of the time. Uh, well, I guess it would depend on the circumstances. Heck, who knows…some days it’s like a roller coaster. One minute I’m up and experiencing pleasure, feel satisfied or am delighted. the next, I’m serious, hyper focused, or distracted. I’m pretty sure my word for 2025 should have been “Complex”!!! Oh wait, where’s the growth in that…I’m already “Complex”. I’m pretty sure God wants me to focus on being JOYFUL and that means…I GOT WORK TO DO!!!

So, Welcome to My Journey to Discovering Joyful Living!

Now, hear me…I am not saying I am not joyful. I do have episodes of joyfulness just not consistently. I’m also not saying you don’t have a joyful life but what I am saying is… we all go through seasons. So, if you are going though a dry season please join me on my journey.

Come on…Let’s get started!

Now this is where I get stuck! Only on the 1st paragraph of the “journey” and I’ve already hit a major pothole. It’s at this point I could go in so many different directions!!!

So, usually when I’m looking for answers I go to Google and search for scriptures. Yep, while I take into account what other people say, I want to know what God’s word says. So, like a good soldier I typed in “Scriptures on Joyful”. Several verses came up. Many had the word joy but one particular scripture had the word “Joyful” and really resonated with me. It’s probably because I was recently diagnosed with Spondylosis.

Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” .

Wow…Spondylosis is a chronic condition that refers to the gradual wearing down of the spine’s cartilage and bones. A supple and strong bone is much more difficult to wear down or break. Yep, over the course of my life, my spirit has been crushed.

I know I’m not the only one! Gosh look at those effected by Hurricane Helene or the wildfires in California. Bless their hearts, those people literally lost everything!!! So, please hear me, in no way am I making light of their pain and suffering. But, we too are on a journey and our pain and heaviness is very real as well. Things like…

Loss of a child, spouse, parent, grandparent, friend: Gosh, I’ve experienced the loss of each and the pain never leaves. I will say, that over time, the wound is no longer as fresh. None the less, the loss does leave scars for life.
Catastrophic losses like storms, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and fires: I can say, I’ve had my fair share of hurricanes and flooding. I’ve been effected by 2 floods in my life. Both were hard but the flood when I was 12 years old was the worst. I lost my sense of security and safe place. It was the structure not people that made me feel secure growing up. I guess that’s why home is so important to me even today.
Loss of relationships: It’s painful loosing a relationship with a loved one or a friend. Sometimes the loss isn’t always a falling out but instead a drifting away. Either way, there is a loss or disconnect and it can weigh you down. Now, I would like to say that sometimes this isn’t a bad thing. It just may be God’s protection on your life or emotional well-being.
Hurt Feelings: Oh my, I could go on forever on this one!!! I am here to tell you, my feelings have been hurt more times than I can count. For me the hurt is typically caused by setting my expectations too high. Or, because I make it all about me. Or, I just don’t consider the source and where they’ve been or what they’ve been through. And, then sometimes…People are just mean!!! Emotions are a bugger!!!

This list could go on for days but I think I’m unstuck. I finally know the direction I need to go!

I need to remember those things that bring me pleasure, what gives me satisfaction and who or what delights me. Then for 2025, I need to expand my list!!!

So, here’s my current list of things which lend to my joyful life:

Excursions with Richard
- Taking a drive
- Having lunch
- Running errands
- Stopping in at a winery
Time with Family
Time Alone with God
Relaxing at Home
Baking
Working in our Yard
Working in the Garden
Sitting out by the fire pit
Coffee on the porches
Walks on the property
Driving around the property in the side by side
Painting furniture and decor
Floral design
Writing

Yes, I know that is a pretty long list. Just so you know, I could go on and on but for the sake of time…I’ll stop!

I have been so incredibly blessed by reflecting on this list. In fact, my mind was completely redirected from those things that I’ve been though (both shared and not shared).

I Think I’m Having an “Ah Ha” Moment!!!

By changing my focus from trials to triumphs, my tests to testimonies, and suffering to healing it will yield a joyful life

Now for the hard part… I must remember to say “Ah Ha!!!” during my meltdown. I should also try to do this in a crisis or when dealing with that person who has hurt me.

My prayer for you is God will restore you to a joyful state and continue to pour out His Blessings on Your Life ❤

Word Search For 2025

Jan2

How can this be…January 1st has come and gone yet God did not give me my “Word for the Year”. This has never happened to me before!!! In the past, I knew what my word would be long before New Years Day. My brain went into overload. I listened with laser focus to every word I heard on TV, podcasts, and YouTube. I also read blogs and scripture. Yet, not a word. I even laid in bed at night wide awake brain storming and praying to find my “Word”.

Now, the desperate pursuit of the word had become serious almost to the point of being unpleasant. The pursuit had become serious and I had become unpleasant. In fact, the word search had sucked the joy right out of me! As I thought about feeling gloomy and down, I realized I have been pretty serious for a while.

Well, Duh…while it was a great year 2024 was a HARD year! My post 2024 Year in Review: A Journey of Gratitude definitely served as a reminder. It highlighted all I did and went through last year. No wonder I didn’t feel joyful…

JOYFUL

That’s it…My Word for the 2025

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not sad, depressed, or hopeless but just gloomy. Now, I’m sure that has to do with the fact I’m recovering from surgery. Just four months ago I had an Anterior posterior fusion L5-S1 with Graft using rods and screws using robotics. I also had a cyst removed. The surgeon said “if your cyst were a fish we would’ve had to mount it…it was that big”. So, there’s that but I know it to be more than just that!

All my life I have been somewhat serious. Raised by overachiever parents, I’ve always had both spoken and unspoken expectations placed on me. After all, I was the oldest child and they depended on me for a lot. Everything was serious! And for those times I did try to relax and let loose, I did not enjoy myself. It was foreign to me. That is until about 2005. We were empty-nesters and were more spontaneous. We RV’d, rode the motorcycle, and went on short excursions as our schedules allowed. I felt like for the 1st time in my life the weight of the world had fallen off my shoulders.

Then, I went into long term care. Not as a bedside nurse but as a Director of Nurses. There they were again…Spoken and Unspoken Expectations. State surveyors, Chief Nurse Officer, Regional Vice President, Administrator, and Regional Nurse, all piling their expectations on me. Yes, I know that goes with the job but…It was also a trigger for me. All the expectations were overwhelming and I had to be serious and laser focused. Once again, I was no longer joyful.

Then in June of 2022 I retired to care for my mother full time. She was total care requiring a lift for transfers and wheelchair bound. She also had postoperative complications after surgery for a hip fracture. So, now the expectations were based on my degree and professional experience. I was now my mother’s nurse. Oh but wait, things got a little muddled for me when childhood expectations are mingled with care expectations. Then stir in family dysfunction and everyone’s different personalities…What a MESS!!!

While I still care for my Mom, it has become so much easier. Since we moved from Texas, we have more of a routine. There’s less external chaos and peace has been restored to our home. Most importantly Mom is at peace and happy. While things have lighted significantly, I want to strive to be more joyful.

Joyful Synonyms:

Delighted
Happy
Satisfied
Glad

Characteristics of a Joyful Person:

Gratitude (Haha…It all ties together! My Word For The Year 2024)
Optimism
Living in the present
Forgiveness
Resilience
Finding Joy in little things
Spirituality
Healthy relationships
Goals
Pursues personal growth
Kindness and generosity
Contentment

Oh My…That’s Quite a Laundry List For Me to Work On!!!

Will it be hard…Yes!

Will it be worth it…ABSOLUTELY

My word for 2024 was Gratitude and it was so incredibly easy to live in a state of gratitude. 2025 though, will definitely require some work for me but…I am determined to be JOYFUL again no matter what!!!

So, do you have a word for 2025? If yes, please do share!!!

Embarrassed, Broken, & Forgiven

Jan7

Yesterday in Get Your Head Out of The Clouds I shared how much I enjoy journaling. This year I bought the journal “Prayer Journal For Women”. It’s a 52 week scripture, devotional, and prayer journal and although I am on just week 1…I absolutely love it.

One of the things that makes this journal really special is the author encourages the reader to memorize scripture. Now, I don’t know about you but that has been a real challenge as of late. It seems my short term memory is not what it used to be. I could go on about that for days but will spare you the details and me the embarrassment…LOL

Now, I’m not gonna lie, I was a little disappointed with this week’s scripture. I was hoping for something uplifting and positive to start off the New Year. You know, a “feel good” scripture but that’s not what I got! I got an “OUCH scripture”…One that made me cringe!!! Not only did I cringe the 1st day but everyday this week as I have worked to commit the scripture to memory. I needed to do the memory work and reflect on how I would apply it to my daily life.

Have you ever had a time you spoke before you actually listened or became angry because you didn’t listen? Man oh man I sure have! In-fact, more times than I care to admit…Ugh!!!

There was one instance that remains vivid in my mind to this day! I was working as the Director of Nursing for a Skilled/ Long Term Care Facility. Each morning it was the expectation all department heads would attend a morning meeting to discuss upcoming events, review events of the previous 24hrs, and trouble shoot any challenges that needed to be resolved. On this particular morning I remember I was running late due to traffic caused by a wreck on the freeway. So, when I arrived to work, I had just enough time to print my report, gather my binder, and run out the door to Morning Meeting. The meeting had already started when I arrived. As I sat down, I glanced around the room and noticed I was the only one from the nursing department in attendance. I immediately grabbed my phone to see if I had any texts to explain why nursing leadership was not in attendance. There were no text. About that time the administrator looked over at me and asked where’s your team? I responded, I have no clue…No one communicated they wouldn’t be here. We went on with the meeting and as it came to a close, the assistant director of nursing came walking into the room with her purse and a coffee in hand. She asked, “what is the status of…”. Without missing a beat I flipped around and responded, “If you had shown up for Morning Meeting you would know!” I stood up, left the conference room, and went to my office.

As I walked into my office, I received a signal on my phone and text messages began to pour in. My heart sunk and I was sick to my stomach!!! She had sent a text explaining her delay. I immediately ran to her office to apologize. Needless to say, she was so angry and humiliated that she couldn’t even talk much less hear my apology. In-fact, she was so distraught she went straight to HR and lodged a formal complaint against me.

When I tell you I was sick…I mean I was SICK!!! Not about the complaint but because I had hurt her!!! If only, I had been quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger…the outcome would have been totally different!

I was completely devastated that I had screwed up so badly…I was embarrassed and broken!!!

Thank God, the Assistant Director of Nurses did finally allow me to explain and she did offer me forgiveness but it grieves me to know I caused her to be embarrassed in front of her peers and that I had spoken to her that way.

Do I wish I had handled things differently, perhaps asked more questions, or just sat in silence? Boy do I…That single encounter has taunted me to this day.

Did I learn from my mistake? I definitely did but at the expense of another.

Have I asked my Father for forgiveness? ABSOLUTELY!!!

While the Assistant Director of Nurses graciously extended forgiveness and my Father forgave me, this week I have had to dig deep and forgive myself. So, while I really was looking forward to a feel good scripture to start off the New Year…God provided me the scripture I needed to put the incident behind me and move forward by forgiving myself. He gave me the tool I needed not only to deal with the past but to move forward as a better version of me…filled with love and inner beauty.

I share my experience to encourage you to commit this scripture to heart and be:

QUICK TO LISTEN

SLOW TO SPEAK

SLOW TO ANGER

Dare I look ahead to see what I am going to have to work through this comming week…YIKES!!!

Here’s to Growth…Have a Wonderful Week Everyone!

Sharpest Tool in the Shed

Apr2

After the release of the movie Shrek, the song “All Star” became very popular.

My favorite phrase of the song is “I ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed”. I must admit, I’ve used the phrase a time or two when referring to others who makes (for lack of a better word) “dumb” decisions.

While not everyone is on the same intellect level, we do have access to the sharpest tool available…The Bible!

… and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:17

For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

No, we do not always make wise decisions…But, we do have access to the sharpest tool which provides guidance in the decisions we do make.

By applying the word of God to our lives, we suddenly become brilliant!!! So, I challenge you to be an All Star and pick up…