Seeing What I Need to See

The weather here has been very snowy.  I think I've only seen the sun three times since last weekend. Very unusual for where I live.  It's almost enough to bring about a sour mood.  I feel like I've been living in a state of sourness for many months now. I have not dealt well with the change that my life has gone through. But yesterday, when I sat at the table to listen to my daughter share how her day went, and was exposed to her sourness for the second day in a row, I felt like God was opening my eyes to what He needed me to see.  My own sourness has taken it's toll on not only myself, but now it is rubbing off on my family.

So this morning, as I sit here at my computer because we have our third two hour delay this week, I have decided to embrace happiness again. I told my daughter she needed to get an attitude adjustment, but in reality it is me that needs the adjustment.

Today I plan on embracing the positives.

Having extra time to do the laundry.
Being able to take care of my banking needs this morning and not after work.
Spending extra time in my daily readings.
Having an extra hour to get paperwork done at school.
Eating a warm breakfast.
Sharing my morning with my children without having to rush to get ready.

So many things to be thankful for.  Grateful for.  Appreciative of.  So many silver linings as one of my dearest friends always says.

Today I choose happiness.

Looking for Joy

During the past several months I have been a little out of sorts.  I haven't been my normal joyous self. I realize that there are sometimes hills to climb on this life journey, but it's just as important to remember that even in the middle of the day to day gunk there are joys to be had. 

Things like:

• Realizing I saved my husband 2-3 hours of labor and hundreds of dollars in dresser costs by spending just under a hundred bucks adding to our existing closet organization system.  I was able to consolodate all of our clothing items into one of our two master closets, leaving the option of moving the laundry upstairs and creating a guest 1/2 bath at some point in the future! Woohoo!
• Going to the dentist today to fix a tooth  that has been causing some problems for the past 3 months.
• Sitting with my dogs on chilly nights sharing their body heat to keep me warm.
• Learning that we have enough cash on hand to pay for our son's braces on Thursday, so that we won't have a monthly payment.  That's worth celebrating a bazillion times over!  Yeah for "Cash is King" mentality!
• Having sunny 50 degree days in the middle of February.  Oh how I love not having to bundle up or drive on icy roads!

There are so many things to bring joy to my heart. I just have to be on the lookout for them or else they may pass by without my even realizing it.

I challenge you to find a little joy today.