The Allure of a Joyful Heart

I’m drawn to smiling people, aren’t you? They just pull you in.

I remember one dreary day I went to the post office and there was a long line. Big surprise, huh? But one woman changed the atmosphere of the whole room. She positively glowed. She chatted with the postal worker while he weighed her package, and her joyful laughter filtered through the room like magic dust. As she left she looked around as if blessing each of us with her gaze and I suddenly felt at peace about the wait. 

On the day of the full eclipse, I gathered with a group of people in front of the YMCA. Most of us didn’t know each other, but we shared a sudden camaraderie as we witnessed this once in a lifetime event. We alternately gazed at the changing light through eclipse glasses, and sharing our delight with one another. We might not have sought one another out on a normal day, but awe of nature drew us together. 

Children do this to us too. Their uninhibited antics and joy in the simple pleasures of life lighten our mood, and make us laugh. Which is good for heart, lungs, soul, and healing to the bones.  

Ann Voskamp found healing from years of grief by choosing to look for and record 1,000 blessings to be joyful about. One of my favorite scenes from her book* is where she gets excited about cheese: 

Her husband came in from a long day on their farm to find her enthusiastically taking pictures of a mound of shredded cheese backlit by the sun. She thought he’d think she was ridiculous to be enamored by such a simple thing, but her joy drew him in. 

“I like finding you like this,” he says.

“Crazy like this?” she says.

“Perfect like this.” He nods toward the cheese plate. “You being all happy in all these little things that God gives. It makes me very happy.”

The allure of a joyful heart.

People who live life joyfully, wonder at the beauty of simple things, and express gratitude for everyday blessings are the most attractive people of all. 

What about believers in Jesus Christ? Do we delight in the miracle of life--the petals of a flower, the taste of real food, the feel of sunshine on our skin? Do we, despite the suffering and trials of this world, still smile, knowing eternity is ours? Do we stop to share a smile like the woman in the post office?  Stand in awe of the power of God on display like those eclipse watchers? Do we rejoice in the beauty of everyday life, like sunlight on grated cheese?

We have more to smile about than anyone on earth. “May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the LORD” (Psa. 68:3-4, NIV). People of God—deeply in love with Jesus, sharing genuine love for others, living with joy and laughter. Sounds pretty attractive to me.

*One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp

#whatmakespeoplesmile #letyourlightshine #simplepleasures #smileifyouknowJesus #rejoiceandbeglad #smilemore

When the Wind Blows

We get a lot of wind in our coastal town. More than once we’ve had to run down the street to retrieve our can and lid on windy mornings after garbage pickup. Hoodies help keep us out the rain, but won’t stay on when the wind blows. And umbrellas turn inside out. I’ve also learned if I don’t go out soon enough when I hear the sound of outdoor furniture scooting across the deck, I’ll have to fight the rosebushes to get them back. Even in beautiful summer weather, a breeze kicks up almost every afternoon. 

That’s why it wasn’t much of a surprise to see the road crew met their match when they repainted lines down the middle of nearby streets. The wind must have been blowing when they sprayed, because I noticed every dotted line was surrounded by a fuzzy yellow mist. 

Humorous to the observer. Annoying if you’re the crew worker trying to keep your paint from flying in all directions. 

Disastrous when winds of confusion blow you off course spiritually.

Paul compared the ever-changing culture of this world to three things that continually fluctuate. Babies, who change their minds on a whim. Waves of the sea, that toss to and fro. Wind, that can blow even the largest vessel off course. You never know when the wind might change direction; the same is true with the values of our society.

What was once absolute is now fuzzy. You can’t quite make out the lines anymore between truth and what is culturally acceptable. Sex outside of marriage, the use of substances to “feel good” or medicate away your problems, lying to “protect” others, and stealing off the Internet (because everybody does it) are just a few practices people no longer consider outside the lines. 

 

When we go where the winds our society take us, it makes it hard to stay on the road God has laid out, or even remember where it lies. What the world paints is unfocused, difficult to read; always changing. How can we know the truth for sure on any given topic?

God has given us everything we need to know to live a life pleasing to Him in His Word. We don’t get to pick and choose though. Unlike our world, God doesn’t change His mind. His 10 Commandments are still applicable for every person, or, as Jesus boiled them down to 2 commands—love God with everything you’ve got, and love other people as much as you love yourself. If we do that, it rules out any participation in idol worship, cursing, lying, stealing, cheating, coveting and all the others.

How do we guard against our tendency to go with the flow? It’s hard to do; pressure to conform, worldly ideals, and rationalization sneak in subtly. We hardly even realize we’ve gone off road, until we end in the ditch, or over a cliff. 

I think the way to begin is to press the pause button and ask two questions when we’re watching TV (and commercials!), movies, the news, talking with others, listening to music, or reading.

1    1. How does this compare to the truth in God’s written word?   

2    2. How does God want me to respond? Should I turn it off, do some research, ask forgiveness, speak up for truth?

If we want to make a difference in our culture for Christ, we have to stay vigilant, and not assume everything being “taught” us is true. “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14). 

Where is the wind taking you? Where do you want to go?

#windsofteaching #trueorfalse #Eph4:14 #culturalnorms #politicallycorrect

Parenting is Permanent

courtesy of Sela Photography

Our son-in-law quoted his friend, Brandon, a while ago and I’ve been thinking how profound his outlook is. Brandon told him, “When I go to the grocery store, I parent. If I get a little shopping done while I’m there, that’s even better. When I go to a friend’s house, I parent. If I’m able to have a relaxed conversation while I’m there, that’s terrific. When I drive from one place to another, I parent. If it’s a pleasant drive without any catastrophes, I count my blessings.” 

You get the point, no matter where you go, parenting is the most important job you can be doing. You may not get to do everything you want along the way, but you’re training up human beings who you hope will make you proud. You pray they’ll choose to love God and others, show mercy and compassion, stand up for what is right, and make a difference in this world. 

And, I if you haven’t realized this already, parenting never ends.

True, your kids won’t be dependent on you forever. At least you hope not. But no matter how old they get, they’ll always need you. You’ll always want to stay connected. It’s supposed to work that way when you do it right.

My parents are still parenting me, and I’m a grandma of six. Although their teaching is indirect, I still learn from them. They continue to inspire me with their wisdom and experience, and it’s a huge boost knowing they pray for me every day. 

Too often we get in a hurry to move on to the absence-makes-your-heart-grow-fonder stage of parenting. I know I did. We forget how little time we have to nurture and teach before they’re on their own. When you’re sleep deprived, and never get to say a complete sentence without interruption; when you can’t walk across the room without being ensnared by a gauntlet of toys; when your house and car are never quiet or clean—it seems like an eternity before your life will be your own again. 

Then suddenly, they’re off—working, in college, getting married, having babies of their own. And you miss the sound of running feet, giggles and snuggles. And you realize your life will never be the same. 

It’s even better when they’re grown. Your children seek you out, not because they need something, but just to talk or hang out a while. That’s when you’ll be glad you invested the time at the grocery store, when visiting friends, in the car, and everywhere you went—to parent. On purpose—with love, focus, and commitment.

So if you’re a young parent, and you’re frazzled by the constant questions, and energy, and disciplining over and over, let me encourage you. You’ll have other opportunities to shop unhindered, visit uninterrupted, and drive without any passengers, to destinations of your choice. But you’ll never have these years back when they’re young, needing your constant presence.

Savor it. Take breaks when you can, and breathe snatches of freedom deeply. Then head back into the fray of their neediness, glad to be doing the job that never ends. Because the rewards are worth it. 

#parentingisforever #thebestjobever #encouragementforfrazzledparents #theygrowupfast #youngparents