What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.
-- George Eliot



Last night after my husband arrived home from a business trip and all my little ducklings arrived home from school and sports, my soul heaved a huge sigh of peace. We ate homemade pizza around our big table and talked. As my oldest son makes plans for his future, it has reminded me how quickly time has gone by since I held him for the first time. How quickly the time passes as all my kids grow up and become the people we have been raising them to become. How grateful I am that there are still babies in the house to savor for a little while longer.

Take the time to experience the JOY of family. Give your kids the memories of home that they will carry in the hearts and souls wherever their future may take them. That kind of joy travels.

Joy of learning

It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry.
--albert einstein

Finding joy today in learning with a young, curious son. We have explored earthquakes, revolutions and stories. He is a sponge. Although homeschooling is kind of wreaking havoc on my new schedule, I am reminded that this is my primary job in this life...raising good, holy, educated people to lead this country.

Excellence

The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.
--Peal S. Buck

Yesterday all I really accomplished was cooking. I baked a lot of different breads (wheat, banana and pumpkin) and made meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner. It took me most of the day to cook all the food as well as taking care of my kids and a little journaling. It took me a while to learn to be a good cook...almost 2 years of practice, learning, failures and successes. But, I can cook and bake anything now. It is my only gift to offer him. As the world sees it, it is not much..just cooking, cleaning and caring for people. But, it is my life's work and as God sees it, a gift. When will we see with his eyes and view our gifts as treasures? Take your talent and use it to serve Him. He does not ask for perfection, only excellence. Live in excellence. Find joy in excellence, not perfection.

Joy Journal

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; love more, and all good things will be yours.
--Swedish proverb

That pretty much sums it up, don't you think?

I started to get in a bad mood this afternoon because none of the little kids were taking a nap which meant I wasn't going to get any time to get a project done and I had been looking forward to it. I felt the grumpies coming on and needed to bust out of it quickly. I don't have any friends around this town so I can't call someone, I have small children so I can't just go for a run or take a hot bath by myself, things that experts say to do to improve your mood. So, instead, I got out a notebook for myself and crayons and coloring books for the girls. While they colored I made a joy journal...cut out pictures from magazines that inspire me, quotes from inspirational books, and a list of blessings.

I didn't get my project done for the day but I did add to my joy by doing something that made me feel blessed and happy. Now with my mood restored and that list of things I didn't get done today filed away, I am on to preparing for the evening. Meatloaf and roast potatoes with homemade bread. Who can be in a bad mood with a good meal to look forward to.

The Joy of Simplicity

What I love about January is the simplicity of it. After you take down the Christmas decorations and put it all away, everything looks so bare and clean. This past weekend we got it all put up and today will be spent creating some new order in old spaces.

New toys need to go in new bins. Old toys need to go to Goodwill. I already boxed up old clothes, mine especially, to go to Goodwill...I had a sweatshirt from college still...I graduated 20 years ago!!

I already reclaimed the cabinet above the refrigerator that Greg had highjacked for his junk cabinet. It now houses my seldom used appliances. Today is the linen closet. I have a husband and kids who can't tell the difference between bathroom towels and kitchen towels and washclothes and dishclothes. I don't see the confusion..it is perfectly clear to me and hence, I am always baffled to see washclothes in my kitchen sink. Okay, it drives me crazy. So, today I am labeling baskets and filling them with appropriate linen and hoping that everyone can read a simple sign around here!

There is joy in the simple life. Too much stuff clutters our minds as well as our homes. Today spend your day clearing some of the clutter from your life and revealing the joy beneath the stuff.



I have learned by some experience, by many examples, and by the writings of countless others before me, also occupied in the search, that certain environments, certain modes of life, certain rules of conduct are more conducive to inner and outer harmony than others. There are, in fact, certain roads that one may follow. Simplification of life is one of them.
--Ann Morrow Lindbergh (Gift from the Sea)

Happy people have goals

Studies have found that people are happier when they have meaningful goals that they are working toward. We all need something to work toward and also something to look forward to. Since it is the resolution time of year, write out some goals instead of resolutions. Goals are more positive than resolutions as well because goals tend to be process driven and resolutions are just statements about what you want.

When writing out goals make sure that they are specific. You don't want to just say "be kinder," but rather have a clear objective such as "I will work at the soup kitchen 2 Sundays a month during 2010." Make sure that you don't not give yourself too much to do. Remember that we are trying to work on one thing at a time in order to actually finish them.

My goals for this year look like this~~
~Write 2 book proposals and submit them. Submit one by the end of January.
~Submit 3 articles to magazines.
~Spend 1 night away alone with each child.
~Have a date night once a week.
~Exercise 3 times a week.
~Continue adoration 1 hour a week.

Happy people are always working toward goals. They are always trying to accomplish things and to become better people. Goals are an important step in the joy project.

One joy scatters a hundred griefs. ~Chinese Proverb

Yesterday I took two of my little ones to the movies. The movie itself did not impress them much. We saw Princess and the Frog and neither of them were all that interested. But, the previews, now that was a different story. One was for Disney's Ocean and when my animal lover daughter saw those ocean animals her face lit up. She was captivated. Truly, that was worth the whole price of admission to me. Pure joy for a few minutes.

I thought how like that we are though. The previews give us such a jolt of joy and then the real thing is somewhat disappointing because it is not like the preview, a few minutes of the best parts. But, we must grab those few minutes of joy and hold onto that feeling to recall in moments of boredom, irritation or grief.

Joy---drink it in.