Daring to be happy

"The Happiness Dare" by Jennifer Dukes Lee came into my life when our family was on the verge of moving earlier this summer. I know from chatting with her this book came out of her own real-life experiences, but some of the chapters seems written for me! God has had me in a season of learning how to choose joy, so this daring for happiness comes at a great time in my life.

Jennifer talks about how we all have a happiness style. She has an assessment in the book that clearly shows I'm a Doer and Relater. I took the assessment less than a week after my family moved into our new house that sits on 33 acres. So, clearly, we were settling in. And by settling in, I mean I wanted everything to be unpacked and put away and then I wanted my friends to come over. Two days in a row my best friend showed up and helped me put things away. Talk about happy!

The other styles are Experiencer, Giver and Thinker. Of course, like personalities, we often can find pieces of all the styles in our lives. {Take the happiness assessment here!}

"Imagine a world where our happy lives illustrated an attractive gospel. The Good News is a heritage of happiness. When we maximize our happiness, other people notice. They want what we have. Authentic happiness can change our world. But first it has to change us."

{Jennifer Dukes Lee in "The Happiness Dare"}

Like #choosingJOY, #thehappinessdare is good for my soul. It reminds me that productivity is fine and even makes me happy, but working harder isn't the answer to finding happiness & joy. Even when there are boxes to unpack, sometimes summer afternoons need to be spent at the pool. Even when there are chores looking me in the face, I need to play with my kids or lunch with a friend.

I want to carry that dare into the new school year with my kids and into my 15th year of marriage with my husband and into my baby girl's second year of life. I want to find happiness when I run errands and do chores and fulfill commitments and socialize with friends and cross paths with strangers. And by "find happiness," I mean I want to draw near to God, choose gratefulness, and position myself to see happy.

That's what Jennifer's book encourages readers to do. Her words don't discount grief and hard days, but they do celebrate the details that remind us God is for us and enjoying life is part of the journey.

"Happiness is not the great opposite of holiness. Happiness is at the heart of Jesus, who gladdens weddings. Does he not gladden lives today? Does he not gladden cookouts and flash mobs and moments of scientific discovery? Does he not also gladden birthing rooms and seaside retreats and majestic cathedrals where composes performed some of the greatest musical works of our time? Will he not also gladden us? I believe he will. Jesus doesn't gladden us at the expense of holiness. He gladdens us because of holiness."

{Jennifer Dukes Lee in "The Happiness Dare"}

ABOUT THE BOOK :: "The Happiness Dare: Pursuing Your Heart's Deepest, Holiest, and Most Vulnerable Desire" was born out of Jennifer Dukes Lee's quest to find out whether our happiness matters to God and, if so, how to pursue it in a way that pleases him. Learn more online or order the book from Amazon (or other booksellers).

This 304-page book is published by Tyndale (Aug. 2, 2016).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :: Jennifer Dukes Lee is a journalist at heart. She used to cover crime, politics, and natural disasters as a news reporter for several Midwestern metropolitan daily newspapers. Now, she uses her reporting skills to chase after the biggest story ever: the redemptive story of Christ. (That's front-page news.) "The Happiness Dare" is her second book. She published "Love Idol" in 2014. She and her husband are raising crops, pigs, a herd of cats, and two humans on the Lee family farm in Iowa.
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I'm part of "The Happiness Dare" launch team, so I did receive a free PDF copy of this book, but the recommendation comes all on my own. Jennifer Dukes Lee spoke deeply into my life with "Love Idol," and her new book offers the same kind of life-changing encouragement. 

Joy in freedom

I'm excited to introduce you to another blogging friend of mine. It's people like Tiffany Parry who make me love the internet. Her words encourage well and point to truth. Her post today is more of that, just as we're settling into summer, officially this week! 

Tiffany and I dream of sharing stories around a real-life table, but until then I'm grateful to call her my friend across the miles. Please welcome her to my blog for #ThreeWordWednesday. 

I’m a rule-follower, the quintessential say-what-I-do, do-what-I-say girl. I thrive on order, tidy boundaries, and well-laid plans.

In the practicalities of day to day life, my Type-A personality and patterns suit me just fine. The problem with all my orderly rules is that we live in an unorderly world. “Things” don’t always go my way – our way.

Organization is one thing, but under the influence of pressure, the craving for order turns into a pension for control. And of this I am absolutely certain: we don’t own control.

God doesn’t want us to grip life with both hands, but instead surrender it into His.

“In His hand is the life of every living thing

and the breath of all mankind.”

Job 12:10 ESV

Christ gave His life and breath to purchase exclusive rights to ours. In exchange for our faith, our smallest seeds of belief, Jesus offers us rich freedom and fullness of joy. It hardly seems a fair exchange, does it? But it’s what makes our freedom such a sweet gift.

Freedom and joy go hand in hand. {Tweet that.}

Joy is a byproduct of a heart at peace with God’s plan. Even if our circumstances aren’t precisely peaceful, we can know the joy that Christ affords us through a life lived with open hands willing to receive His plans over our own.

Can I tell you a secret? This isn’t easy for me.

Can I tell you another secret? God’s plans for us are always good.

Maybe both are entirely obvious to you. But, after living nearly half my life as a Christian, I’m still learning not to allow my control freakiness to wrestle away my freedom and steal my joy. My heart longs to know peace and my hands crave that open position, but I often watch my joy plummet as I fall prey to my flesh. If you can relate, I have good news:

Our level of joy isn’t an indication of God’s goodness – He is always good. {Tweet that.}

If that isn’t enough (PS. He is always enough), I have more good news: Summer is the ideal season to perfect your joy and reclaim your freedom.

Days are longer, weather is warmer, and sweet tea abounds. There are sandy beaches and grassy fields longing for your footsteps, books waiting to be cracked open, and beautiful sunsets hand painted by a God who delights in you experiencing the abundance of life.

Here are a few ways to choose joy in freedom this summer ... and every day after:

1. Give up ought-to.

Control can wrangle freedom with our self-imposed “ought-to” and “must-do” rules. Instead let’s live intentionally. Rather than make choices based on people-pleasing, perfection, approval, or random bouts of guilt, choose what pleases God. Pursue what is honorable in His sight and that which evokes fullness of joy and freedom in your heart.

2. Answer wisely.

This is tied closely to #1, but takes it one step further. We have permission to say “no.” Just because we are able to do something, doesn’t mean we should or have to. Over commitment is a form of control that robs us of free time and energy. Without those precious resources, our joy will quickly dwindle.

3. Insert grace.

If you’re anything like me, you’re bound to wrestle for control once more. Grace means your freedom does not run dry and second chances will come at the break of day. Open those hands and receive grace, then freely give it to those around you. Joy is catching, didn’t you know?

4. Savor.

This is the fruit of #1 thru #3. You’ve created the foundation for freedom, now enjoy it. This broad space is truly a gift. Have fun, bust through those tidy boundaries, set you margins on wide and savor the goodness of God. His wonder is all around you – watch for it and let freedom ring.

Friends, here’s to a joyful summer filled with the sweetness of freedom!
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Tiffany is a wife and mom who dwells in the sunshine (and smog) of Southern California. She’s a lover of words who purposes to use hers to speak God’s truth with grace and authenticity. More than that, she longs to provide a safe place for others to do the same. You are invited to join her word-by-word journey through the mountains and valleys of faith at her blog, Simply for One, or on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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An InLinkz Link-up

I've been opening my blog doors to some friends this month :: Susan Shipe shared about summertime fun and Melody Hester offered advice for navigating new seasons. You can also download The Summer Not-To-Do List I made for you, if you haven't already. 

Subscribe to get new posts and/or a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog in your inbox. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

Choosing 37 Joys

I turned 37 yesterday, and, really, aside from the fact that I like the number 36 better, I don’t care. My 30s have been my favorite decade yet. And, here I am, closer to 40 than 30, and I still really like to celebrate my birthday.

Even so, I do not like to have “Happy Birthday” sung to me in public.

I’m barely an extrovert – and that totally crosses a line.

So, in a slightly delayed celebration of my birthday, I’m sharing 37 ways I’m #choosingJOY recently. And I used the hashtag because it’s one of my favorites I use regularly on social media. Feel free to join me on Instagram or Twitter or Facebook – whichever is your favorite – and use that hashtag to share how you’re finding joy. And you can share on Pinterest, but, I’m sorry, I’m not there. I did reactivate my account, but, really, only long enough to choose some paint colors. I do not find joy there.

1. This third baby of mine. Y’all, I know I talk about her often here and on social media, but I wasn’t sure we were ever going to be a family of five. And we are. And I love it.

2. Rachel fits perfectly in our family – as if God had this planned all along. (Okay, I KNOW he did, but seeing that affirmation in everyday life is my favorite.)

3. Seeing her crawl quickly and pull up is my current favorite, even though I have a hard time wrapping my around the fact that’s where we are. I’m guessing she’s going to be our earliest walker.

4. Rachel is also back to sleeping through the night, so that’s good.

5. I’m excited about moving to our new house on 33 acres – hopefully later this month. This wasn’t my dream for a long time, but my husband wore off on me. And now it’s my dream too.

6. I really like my husband. I mean, duh, right? Right. But, really, I’ve seen marriages crumble, and I’m grateful mine has gotten better with time. We’re almost 14 years in.

7. Adventures with my family are fun. Whether it’s dinner time on a Tuesday night or a road trip to a safari park near Jackson, Tennessee, I like life with my people. God made us a family. We’re often loud and messy, but we are better together. (Click here for a glimpse into real life.)

8. I also am excited about some big adventures we have coming up this summer – a family reunion at the lake, a trip to visit my sister’s family for her twins’ baptisms, a beach vacation.

9. I’m also excited for days at the pool and catching up with friends.

10. Reading fiction is good for my soul. Sometimes I forget how much I like fiction. Here are some fiction books I’ve read this year.

• "Thin Ice" (Men of Valor #2) by Irene Hannon {Review} 
• "Sanctuary Lost" (WITSEC Town #1) by Lisa Phillips 
• "Sanctuary Buried" (WITSEC Town #2) by Lisa Phillips
• "Sanctuary Breached" (WITSEC Town #3) by Lisa Phillips
• "Cold Shot" (Chesapeake Valor #1) by Dani Pettrey
• "Tidewater Inn" (Hope Beach #1) by Colleen Coble
• "Rosemary Cottage" (Hope Beach #2) by Colleen Coble
• "Seagrass Pier" (Hope Beach #3) by Colleen Coble
• "The Inn at Ocean's Edge" (Sunset Cove #1) by Colleen Coble
• "Mermaid Moon" (Sunset Cove #2) by Colleen Coble
• "Honeymoon for One" by Beth Orsoff
• "Keep Quiet" by Lisa Scottoline

11. Reading nonfiction, especially free books I get review and giveaway, is another way I like to spend my time. I know, this may seem silly, but I really like this part of being a blogger.

12. And, stay tuned because I have at least three books and one CD to giveaway this month alone. Best way to stay informed is to subscribe to receive my posts in your inbox, then you’re among the first to know and subscribers get extra entries into the giveaways.

13. Memoirs may be my favorite non-fiction. Here’s some I’ve read so far this year.

• "Coming Clean: A Story of Faith" by Seth Haines
• "The Gift of Friendship" by Dawn Camp {Review}
• "Looking for Lovely: Collecting Moments that Matter" by Annie Downs {Review}
• "Wild in the Hollow: On Chasing Desire and Finding the Broken Way Home" by Amber Haines
• "Everything You Ever Wanted" by Jillian Lauren

14. An adoption ministry God has built up around me reminds me our stories matter and have purpose well beyond our lives. And, hey, if you know someone who would like to join a private Facebook group I have for adoptive mommas, let me know. We have almost 90 moms who are in the process of adopting, hoping to adopt, or have grown their family through adoption. It’s a safe place to share prayer requests and resources.

15. Documenting life has long been a hobby of mine, but I’m loving the ways I can do it on my phone. My favorites are Project Life app, which allows me to create scrapbook pages right there from the palm of my hand, and Instagram, where I document all kinds of real-life moments.

16. Since July, I’ve used my iPhone exclusively for photos and I don’t feel like I’m settling for quality.

17. I love seeing Cate (who turns 9 this week) have so many hobbies. Her personality is a lot like mine – a little fearful of new things. But she’s embracing new things like having a friend teach her to crochet and letting my mother-in-law teach her how to sew. She’s excelling in her horse riding lessons, which she’s been taking about monthly for the past year, and she had her first piano recital at school last week after taking private lessons since August.

18. I love seeing Ben be a big brother. He’s an entertainer and protector, that’s for sure!

19. We have a countdown to summer break. TWO MORE MONDAY MORNINGS and nine more other school mornings.

20. While I’m certainly ready for Summer Break, I’m grateful for my kids teachers’ this year. They’ve been exactly what they each needed.

21. Cate has specifically cited lessons from her teacher about how to eat a cupcake and why not to wear a bikini. Solid life lessons, friends.

22. Ben is reading and it’s fun to see him know words or be interested in what something says.

23. “Fixer Upper.” Enough said.

24. I especially love watching the show with Cate, who has opinions and thoughts as we watch. We had caught up with all the episodes in the first two seasons on Netflix, but I saw we could buy season 3 of “Fixer Upper” on our Amazon Fire TV for $15 – that’s less than a dollar an episode, so I treated us to an early birthday present.

25. I like sharing my birth week with my girl. It’s hard to believe I had just turned 28 when she was born.

26. Starting new Bible studies is always so refreshing. Right now I’m working through Katie Orr’s “Everyday Faith.” You can follow her and others as we work through on Instagram. I’ll probably post some about it too.

27. I like new journals too. I have a couple awaiting my pen.

28. Facebook birthday wishes make me happy. I know people have all kinds of things to say about social media, but I like it. And I like how friends you never hear from come out of the woodwork to offer you a “Happy birthday” message. I did see one on someone else’s wall the other day that said: HBTY. Really? Can we just take the time to type “Happy birthday to you!” Surely.

29. Greg’s status on my birthday morning made me laugh: Happy 37th birthday to my wife, Kristin Taylor. If you see her out today tell her she is looking prime. (Who doesn’t love a good math joke?)

30. Cate has taken to planning book-themed birthday parties. Last year was Boxcar Children, this year is Pippi Longstocking. Oh and she helped me plan Ben’s “Dragons Love Tacos” party too.

31. Ben loves to cuddle first thing in the morning. Even if it’s earlier than I like, he’s so sweet then.

32. Qdoba opened a restaurant in Murray a few (?) years ago. I was so excited and ate there regularly. I still eat there regularly. I’m pretty sure my family and friends thought my obsession would be a fleeting thing. It’s not. I do need the mango salsa to come back to perfect my nachos.

33. Birthday eve flowers from my husband and big kids that are still sitting on the kitchen table are sweet.

34. Purging is like therapy. I’ve been cleaning out closets and clothes. I’ve shipped boxes to people. I’ve given bags to the thrift store and to a fundraising yard sale. It’s like nesting before our move.

35. I’m always making playlists in my head.

36. I love when I hear a song that goes along with what God is teaching me. Faith and adventures are the current themes.

37. The fact I made this list of 37 things. That’s joy right there, friends.

How are you #choosingJOY? It really is all around you. {Tweet that.}
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An InLinkz Link-up

Subscribe to get new posts and/or a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog in your inbox. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

How adventure found me in a strawberry patch

Adventure keeps showing up around me. The word. Quotes. Opportunities to embrace the concept. {Yes, I talked about this yesterday too.}

On Tuesday, adventure looked like impulsively picking strawberries while wearing Rachel.

I love picking berries – strawberries in April or May, blueberries in June, and blackberries in July. It’s usually the kind of activity I plan with friends when my big kids are home from school. But it needed to happen on Tuesday because 80 degrees and sunshine are exactly my kind of weather.

The Patch is a new local strawberry patch basically right in town. Hello, convenience. I was driving by on my way to tend to a lake house I manage. So on my way home, I stopped at the Dollar General, bought a bottle of water, and paid the silly convenience fee to get cash back.

All because picking strawberries was my adventure.

And I’m glad I did.

Rachel smiled. She tried to grab berries and enjoyed the one she got her hands around.

Of course, when Ben got in the mini van at the bus stop, he immediately saw and smelled the strawberries and said, “You picked strawberries without me?” He ate a whole bowl full when we got home and I promised we’d go again when he wasn’t in school. That boy embodies adventure, and I’m glad he’s mine.

I’ve been #choosingJOY the past couple of years and God is still teaching me about that. Most recently the lessons have come when I see an opportunity for adventure and embark upon it.

So, here in April, I’m choosing adventure for 2016. I wasn’t going to choose a one-word focus for the year, but it’s clearly choosing me with two-thirds of the year to go. Like seasons, the kinds of adventure change. But here we are, on the brink of summer. And I’m ready.

What adventures are choosing you? {Tweet that.}
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This reminded me of another lesson I learned in a strawberry patch three years ago :: "Mothering is a weary job sometimes, but I want to say yes. I want to speak with a softer, kinder voice. I want to remember we don't always have to be in a hurry to get to the next thing. I want to let them jump and make messes. Yes, I want to teach them truth and problem-solving strategies. Yes, I want them to learn responsibility. But I want them to live joyfully." {Read the whole post here.}

And clearly I like to write about strawberries :: 2011. 2012. 2014.
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Reflections on Choose Joy {the concept & the book}

Joy was my word in 2015. And, honestly, I think it’s going to be my word in 2016. I know, it’s such a tiny word, but, goodness, it’s had massive effects on my heart and soul. And I know God has more to teach me.

I started the year listening to my playlist of joy songs. I counted joys on a list that started on my phone and eventually moved to my computer. And then this fall I stopped counting – not because there were no more joys, but because I saw joy all around me.

God finally broke through my stubborn heart and I heard him saying, “Kristin, your life is a string of joys. Even on the hard days, you’re richly blessed.” I mean, I’ve know that for a long time, but it’s like I know it deep down in my soul now.

My desire to control – the circumstances, people’s reactions, plans, whatever else – is what most distracts me from seeing and choosing joy. That desire to control is rooted so very deeply in my stubborn self, but I can see it now in a way I never have been able to. My husband has seen it for a long time. I know my siblings have too. And probably everybody else I know.

But as I let go, the joys abound even more.

In “Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts,” Sara Frankl quotes author Jessica Hatchigan: “There’s an important difference between giving up and letting go.”

In 2015, I learned when I let go, I’m freeing myself to be used by God – and that certainly isn’t anything I can control. I also learned I have to let go over and over again. I have to count the joys – either on paper or at least in my head – to get back to that place of loosening my grip.

God is the True Joy – the one from where all other joys come. He’s the one who truly is in control and wants to surprise us with the desires of our hearts in his time. He showed me that this year, again.

Toward the end of the year, I was able to read “Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts” by Sara Frankl and Mary Carver. This book echoes what God had been teaching me on my own joy journey.

Sara dealt with health issues that slowed her life to the point she couldn’t leave her house. She passed away, but her legacy of choosing joy continues. Mary compiled Sara’s words, interviewed her friends, and added her own perspective. This hardcover book is beautiful – both inside and out.

As I reflect on 2015, this quote from “Choose Joy” pretty much sums it up:

“You shake your head and laugh at the younger version of yourself for believing life would turn out just as you imagined it. And you look back on the road you’ve traveled and marvel at his, at every turn, you were upheld and loved. You were provided for. You were sustained through every change and every challenge.” (page 135)

That’s what God has done, faithfully. And I believe that’s what He’ll continue to do in 2016 – for me and for you. The provisions may look absolutely nothing like we anticipate but they'll come as we seek the Maker of it all.

There will likely be disappointments and heartache because this world is far from perfect. But even on the hard days, we can choose joy. We can know all things really do work together for the good of those who love God and have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

“(Jesus) didn’t let what would overwhelm Him in the garden overshadow the beauty He trusted would come: a beauty that only God can bring from the hard. God wants to transform our hard the same way. We all know how God turned the pain of Jesus’ journey into joy for each of us. And it all started with an action, not just Jesus saying yes, but Jesus giving thanks.”

(From “Choose Joy,” page 164)

So, yes, give thanks, choose joy, and see God as the author of it all because even on the hard days something good is coming true. 

In 2015, I used #choosingJOY on social media, and I’m going to continue that in 2016. I’d love for you to join me. {Instagram is my favorite place for this, but I’m on Facebook and Twitter too.}
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ABOUT THE BOOK :: “Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts” is a compilation of the lessons Sara learned while she was dying, written in her own words and sewn together by her close friend Mary Carver. It is a reminder to see the beauty in life, even when it looks nothing like you hoped or planned. And the book officially releases today!

Published by FaithWords. Hardback. 208 pages.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS :: Sara Frankl entered into the arms of Jesus on Sept. 24, 2011, but her legacy of choosing joy lives on. Sara’s writing tells about her commitment to embracing the life God had planned. Her illness stripped her of the potential for a job and family, but that didn’t stop Sara from chasing down community. You can read Sara’s story on her blog, www.gitzengirl.blogspot.com. To assist in continuing Sara’s discipleship, visit www.choosejoyfoundation.com.

Mary Carver is a writer, speaker, and recovering perfectionist. She lives for good books, spicy queso, and television marathons, but she lives because of God’s grace. Mary writes about her imperfect life with humor and honesty, encouraging women to give up on perfect and get on with life, at www.givinguponperfect.com. She is also a regular contributor to incourage.me, MomAdvice.com, and MothersofDaughters.com. Mary and her husband live in Kansas City with their two daughters.
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I received a copy of “Choose Joy” for being part of the book’s launch team. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. 

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Choose the Joy

Mary Carver from Giving Up on Perfect is one of my favorite writer friends from the internet. She edited my ebook, writes about some of my favorite things (choosing joy, letting go of perfection, television shows, and bacon ...), and is one of the people I hope to hang out with in real life one day. Until then, Mary is here sharing about choosing the joy one fall day and inviting you to be part of her book's launch team! 

When you buy your kids matching jack o’lantern shirts, there’s an expiration date on appropriate photo-taking opportunities. I mean, sure, they can wear them after Halloween, but it’s a little lame. And making them wear them on the same day and posting all the pictures I snapped on Facebook? Just doesn’t make since once we hit November.

So last week, just a couple days before those shirts were as irrelevant as the VCR sitting in my garage, I put them on my daughters and told them we were going outside.

We grabbed a couple of the pumpkins off the front porch and headed out to the soggy, leaf-covered back yard. I cheered and bribed and begged until I had at least one shot of both girls smiling at the same time. Then I gave up and let them run around like chickens for a while.

[Side note: I don’t know that they literally ran around like chickens. Maybe monkeys? Or just kids giddy to be outside after being indoors most the day. Whatever, they went a little nuts.]

As they ran from tree to fence to tree and back, slipping on hills and sliding on leaves, they couldn’t stop grinning. I could hear, “Freedom” by George Michael playing in my head as I realized that these poor babies really had been cooped up for too long. (Our backyard was overrun by mosquitos and spiders this summer, so for a while it was go to the park or stay inside. In hindsight, not my best mom move. #liveandlearn)

ANYWAY. They played while I watched and snapped a few dozen more pictures. My 8-year-old decided to create a nest for the birds and nothing I could say convinced her that was unnecessary. Meanwhile, my almost-2-year-old discovered how fun it was to roll pumpkins down the hill at the back of the yard.

After a while I said, “Okay, it’s time to go inside. I need to cook dinner!”

I’m sure, if you’ve ever met a child, you can imagine how well that was received. The NOOOOOOs came fast and furious, with a little bit of negotiating from my oldest for good measure. As she ran through her objections and recommended revisions to my plan, she finally landed on a good one. She said: “But, Mom! We’re CHOOSING JOY out here! Don’t you want to take more pictures of us CHOOSING JOY?!”

Well played, child. I see a debate team in your future.

See, my daughter knows that my first book is coming out in a couple months – and she knows the focus is all about finding joy. And, most importantly to her argument, she knows I’ve been working hard to really take the lessons to heart and intentionally choose joy in my day-do-day life.

So that afternoon, as the sun continued to set and we got colder and dinner got later, I decided to choose the joy. I decided to choose my girls and to choose the moment and to choose the joy.

And I decided to make use of that frozen pizza I had bought for nights exactly like that one.

I’m not always good at recognizing the opportunity for joy in my life. Sometimes it takes the heart – and, let’s be honest, the mouth – of a child to make me stop running through my to-do list and start running toward my kids as they laugh in a pile of leaves.

Is it hard for you to choose joy? When was the last time you did?

If you’d like more inspiration to choose the joy, you can find it in "Choose Joy: Finding Hope & Purpose When Life Hurts." And if you’d like to help spread the word about the book, I’d love for you to apply for the Choose Joy Launch Team! Click here to apply.
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Mary Carver is a writer, speaker, and recovering perfectionist. She lives for good books, spicy queso, and television marathons, but she lives because of God's grace. Mary writes about her imperfect life with humor and honesty, encouraging women to give up on perfect and get on with life, at her blog, GivingUpOnPerfect.com. She is also a regular contributor to several other websites, including (in)courage, a women's website from Dayspring. Mary and her husband live in Kansas City with their two daughters.
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An InLinkz Link-up

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Finding joy even when life changes

Way back at the beginning of the year, many bloggers chose one word to be their focus for the year, like a resolution. Mine has been JOY.

It’s a tiny word, but it’s a mighty word. God has used it to teach me and encourage me this year. Who knew three letters strung together could change my perspective?

I love this quote about joy from Kay Warren:

“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things.”

Joy can change my perspective because joy is a choice. While circumstances change, the foundation of joy that only God can give doesn’t waiver, even when life's seasons change. {And speaking of changes ... our baby Rachel Elizabeth was born Saturday, Sept. 19! I'm excited to share more of her sweet adoption story soon. Stay tuned!}

I know this #choosingJOY idea isn't new to many my blog readers, but I'm excited to share more about it at Circles of Faith today. I'd love for you to join me there! 
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Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Essence of Joy {lessons from the tennis court}

We went to play tennis Sunday afternoon because the weather was perfect and Greg had been telling the kids we’d go. I was texting with Sarah afterwards and she said, “I didn’t know you played tennis.”

Well, I don’t, actually. I’m really pretty awful.

Greg does. He’s sports guy kind of guy.

The kids don’t really play either. Ben swings the racket like a baseball bat sometimes and a golf club other times. And Cate tries hard and understands the general idea.

We have rackets and bought some new balls after church, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say we play tennis. We laughed and joked around. We gathered all the balls that went in all the wrong directions. We enjoyed the sunshine and each other.

While attempting to get the neon ball back over the net in the right direction, I thought about all the times I didn’t participate in so many other activities throughout the years because I was worried I would do them well enough or someone may laugh at me.

Fear robbed my joy too many times. {Tweet that.}

I don’t like doing things I’m not good at or that have the potential to make me look foolish. It’s part of my Type A, perfectionist personality. But I’m learning – slowly, because I’m a tad stubborn too – to let go of those fears. Take Sunday: Nobody is judging how I play tennis. But I got to hang out with my family and do something they’re interested in doing.

Yes, I thought about taking a book I want to read and camp out beside the tennis courts. But I’m glad I stepped on the court with my favorite people instead.

Team Taylor isn’t going to win any tennis titles, but we had fun anyway. And that’s the essence of joy.
_____________________
It's been awhile since I've shared here, but I'm still keeping a #choosingJOY list of moments, people, places, and experiences that make me pause and notice everyday joy around me. Noting these joys has helped transform my perspective.

515. Surprise baby cake and gift from Greg's men's group. 516. Being at the lake for a hot Labor Day. 517. Drone group photo. ... 521. People asking if I will talk with them about adoption. Always, yes. ... 527. Grandparents Day at school – and Mom being willing to come down for it. 528. Friday evening at the lake with Greg’s office staff. 529. Perfect weather for soccer. 530. Baby shower given by church friends! 531. The diaper cake from Marley and Joann. ... 534. Sitting down to watch TV after a PACKED weekend. 535. Colored pens & Precept study.

I'd love for you to join me! Share on social media and use #choosingJOY. Instagram is my favorite place to share.
_____________________ Hey, #ThreeWordWednesday friends, we have some people joining us today from the weekly Works for Me Wednesday link up Mary Carver from Giving Up on Perfect usually hosts. Her blog is getting a redesign, so we're combining our Wednesday link ups. The more the merrier, right? Plus, y'all know I like a good party. Works for me! 

   

An InLinkz Link-up
   
Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Three Word Wednesday :: Joy & Sadness {thoughts on "Inside Out"}

Photo from Disney.com.

The kids and I went to see “Inside Out” on rainy Friday night. I decided to take them after a busy week because we like seeing movies in the theater, but I’m picky about which ones I let them see.

I didn’t expect to spend the movie reflecting on my one word for the year. {Read more JOY posts.}

Joy is actually the name of one of the characters. There’s also Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear. They help make 11-year-old Riley’s memories, feelings, thoughts, and personality.

The movie has adventure as Joy and Sadness try to get back to Headquarters. (Get it? HEADquarters ...) There’s also story lines about friendship, family and change. The ultimate message was probably a little lost on 5-year-old Ben, but 8-year-old Cate understood it.

She summed it up when she whispered to me toward the end: “Joy is still there with Sadness.”

Joy spends most of the movie trying to make all Riley’s memories happy. But happiness is fleeting; joy is lasting. That’s what Sadness teaches Joy – and that’s what I’ve been learning the last few years.

Sadness – and the other emotions – has a place in life, but it doesn’t define our lives. No 11-year-old girl who loves hockey is going to be 100% thrilled to move her life from Minnesota to San Francisco (like the movie plot). Substitute whatever sadness you’ve experienced. I thought about people I miss, words I wished I said and the ones I should have kept inside, friendships that have changed, and the birth moms who have built our family while experiencing sadness of their own.

In the vault of my memories, some would be blue, signifying sadness, but there is still joy. This world has death, grief, sickness, conflict, and fractured relationships. But through it all joy can remain.

From the inside out, we can be changed when we choose joy. {Tweet that.}
_____________________
And speaking of #choosingJOY, here are some joys from my ongoing list :: 304. Reading first thing in the morning. 305. Yard sales on Friday! 306. ... And 20-cent chapter books for Cate. 307. Grilling out three nights in a row. … 310. My kids are using the plastic lids from their popcorn chicken containers from Walmart’s deli as boats in the bathtub. Whatever works. … 312. Good mail on a day I've been feeling melancholy. … 314. The four of us hanging out at the lake. 315. Missing my two best local friends while they’re both out of town – so grateful for these friends and the way we do life together. 316. Home study visit done and it went well! 317. People in the community being excited for our adoption with us. … 319. Hot afternoons at the pool. 320. Playing Settlers of Catan until after midnight at the lake. 321. Having a party at the lake house even though we still aren’t "done" getting it together. 322. Shelter Point Retreat! A name for the lake house! 323. Watching Cate at horse riding lessons. 324. Cate's excitement about church camp. …329. Soda tasting.

I’d love for my #ThreeWordWednesday friends – and any friends! – to join me in sharing joys on social media by using #choosingJOY. Instagram is my favorite place to share, but I’m on Facebook and Twitter too.
_____________________

An InLinkz Link-up

Learn more about “Inside Out” at its website, Focus on the Family’s Plugged In, and IMDb.com.

I'm also linking up with Mary Carver for Works for Me Wednesday because (surprise!) kids' movies can work for me. 

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Just another {melancholy} Monday

It was a Monday of appointments and errands. I dragged the kids around – not literally – most of the day. They were troopers, but they were restless and turned up their volume. We got a lot done, but I was kind of done with the day before the day could be done.

While driving around and taking care of business, my head was full of thoughts and introspections and ideas and conversations. I answered kids’ questions and explained things – things I didn’t really think needed explaining – more than once. I wondered why my 5-year-old son still doesn’t understand lunch comes in the middle of the day and dinner comes when Daddy comes home from work. Of course, some days Daddy comes home for lunch or we meet him somewhere.

Not on Monday, though.

My kids ate popcorn chicken from Walmart’s deli. Yes, it was Lunchables last week. AND, Y’ALL, I HAD TO GO BACK TO WALMART FOR THE SECOND WEEK IN A ROW BECAUSE BIG LOTS LET ME DOWN. And then the kids saved the plastic lid to their popcorn chicken containers and used them as boats in the bathtub when we got home. Nobody was bathing. But they were happy and united. So whatever.

{Yes, my kids are creative. Last week they played with cardboard boxes, remember?}

I meal planned last week for the first time in many, many weeks. I knew Monday was going to be busy, so wisely put chicken fajitas in the crock pot this morning. I win – at least this time.

It may have been a melancholy Monday, but it was also a fabulous mail day.

I like to post on Instagram.

First of all, my friend Mandy surprised me with some #choosingJOY goodies – stickers and stamps. Her note encouraged me when I needed a little extra love. And then another package was “Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends” by Melanie Dale, a book I’d forgotten I’d won in Christen’s blog giveaway.

Not long afterward, I started reading “Women Are Scary” and was laughing and crying IN THE FIRST CHAPTER. For real. Melanie Dale opens the book with a quote from “Billy Madison” – which alone may just have made me chuckle, but knowing my husband can quote SO MUCH of the movie made me appreciate the opening words even more. And then she starts talking about infertility and adoption.

“I saw motherhood as giving something up. It never occurred to me what I’d gain. My rough road to motherhood grew my character and readied me to join this incredible group of women, powerhouse women changing lives around the world together.”

{Melanie Dale in “Women Are Scary,” page 12}

{Cue the tears. Because I didn’t know if I wanted to be a mom. Until I did. And then God made me a mom in a way I never expected and built my faith in a whole new way.}

I quickly got sucked into the book. And then my family wanted to eat dinner. Good thing I had something in the crock pot, otherwise these people may have had to fend for themselves. And then later in the evening, I plopped myself on one end of the couch while my girl played Minecraft on the other, and read and read and read. And laughed and got teary and laughed again – sometimes in the same sentence, certainly often on the same page.

{Greg went back to work for a couple hours. Ben was finally, thankfully, sleeping. Although he told me the next morning he actually cleaned his room after I put him to bed. I have such mixed reactions – hooray for cleaning your room! But, um, hello, your day was done, son.}

I ended up binge-reading the whole book.

Here’s the thing, I thought I was escaping some of the thoughts in my head – the ones about friendships that have entered seasons I don’t love, the ones about a dear childhood friend I thought would be a forever friend, the ones about all the chaos and darkness in the world, the ones about what God is doing in our family, and the ones about serving others. But I didn’t actually escape what was in my head and heart because what Melanie wrote is real. She may have quoted some movies I don’t care about, but the bottom line is what women do as mothers is brave.

And, yes, some days are emotionally exhausting – sometimes for no one reason. But all of the days matter – even the hard ones that drive us to Jesus – and probably Text Support with The Mother Network. {Right, Melanie?}
_____________________
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

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Three Word Wednesday :: Simple pleasures reign

My kids played with cardboard boxes and a laundry basket FOR HOURS on Monday. Like three hours.

We’d spent the morning running errands and eating lunch with friends. And then we spent the rest of the day at home. I was writing and purging and organizing and catching up. And they were apparently making spaceships out of boxes and a moon walker out of a laundry basket. They used Sharpies, copier paper and tape.

Their conversations and interactions were such sweet sounds.

Honestly, there’s been sibling pestering and bickering lately. Ben wants to love by joking and pestering – and Cate doesn’t always think he’s funny. Greg and I talk about the importance of loving each other well. We encourage them to get along. I sometimes wonder if they hear us.

And when they do get along and enjoy each, all seems right with the world. Or at least our house.

Monday felt like the first day of summer break. The kids’ last day at school was on Wednesday. And then my mom, sister, and 18-month-old nephew were in town for a few days. And then it was the weekend.

And now it’s summer break, when simple pleasures reign.

As I listened to them design their spaceships, my kids – who are 5 and 8 years old – reminded me life doesn’t have to be complicated.

Too often, I wonder why she’s not returning my message. I replay conversations in my head, thinking about what I could have said differently or more clearly. I let emotions cloud my thinking. I let the pile of papers dictate how I spend my time.

Their spaceships got me thinking about the simple pleasures I’ve gotten to enjoy lately. 

So from the #choosingJOY list I keep on my phone :: 279. Pancakes for dinner. 280. Memorial Day at lake even on a cloudy day. 281. A couple quiet hours in the midst of crazy, busy life. 282. Impromptu plans with Jaclyn and her family – swimming, grilling, and three games of Settlers of Catan. 283. Jaclyn as the ice cream truck. … 287. Mango salsa is back at Qdoba. 288. Watching Cate at horse riding lessons. 291. Seeing my name on a Diet Coke bottle at the check-out aisle, right there in front facing me. … 293. New friends coming to church and the conversations that happened. … 295. Summer morning snuggles.

Really, I should be letting my mind run wild with creativity and imagination. I want to be quicker to appreciate the simple moments around me that bring me joy. And perhaps I should be saving more cardboard boxes for my kids’ entertainment.

What simple pleasures have brought you joy lately? {Tweet that.}
________________

An InLinkz Link-up

And, hey, #ThreeWordWednesday friends, today is the last day to enter to win a copy of Hillsong UNITED's new album, "Empires." Y'all should go join in the music fun. 

I'm linking up with Mary Carver's Works For Me Wednesday because simplicity and cardboard boxes work for me – and my kids, apparently. 

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Three Word Wednesday :: Consider It Joy

As cliché as it sounds, I can’t believe we are well into May. This year has been the Year of Joy. And I don't mean everything has gone according to plan and fit in a box, tied up with a pretty bow.

But God has been teaching me about his joy and how it flows from letting go and laying down and waiting and watching and serving and giving and loving and forgiving. I’m noticing joy in a way I haven’t before. I know deep in my soul that joy doesn't equate to happiness, but it does leave us peace that passes all understanding.

Joy is a choice. {Tweet that.}

Philippians 4:4 :: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” 

Joy doesn’t dictate our circumstances, but instead determines our attitude.

James 1:2-3 :: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

Joy comes when we know and seek God.

Romans 15:13 :: “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

I don’t get it right all the time, that’s for sure. But I’m so grateful I have these truths to come back to again and again.

My #choosingJOY list on my phone is growing as I count the joys I notice in my everyday life. Some days I’m more in tune to my list – and the joys themselves. Regardless, joy abounds when I slow my mind and notice, even if there is chaos around me. Joy comes even on the hard days because God is there too. I hear about joy in songs and see it in my kids.

259. Multiple walks outside this week. ... 261. Stolen moments of quiet. 262. Winning a book I’ve been wanting to read. 263. Crystal Light Grape Drink! 264. A spring day in a stretch of days that felt like summer. ... 272. Walking and playing in the rain.

Joy is a tiny word but a mighty concept – and one I want more of in my life. {Tweet that.}
________________

An InLinkz Link-up

I'm linking up with Mary Carver's Works For Me Wednesday because choosing joy works for me!

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Hope from the weekend

Most Sunday nights I stay up later than I should because I don’t want the weekend to end. Cate has only seven days of school left – although one of those will be spent in Nashville at the zoo and the Aquarium Restaurant – so I’m even more eager than usual to break out of the weekday routine.

This past weekend was full of some particularly sweet, hope-filled moments.

In October 1990, a new family moved next door to my family in Mockingbird Valley subdivision in Oldham County, Kentucky. I don’t remember how long it took Katie and I to become friends, but I’m glad my life since has included her. Since moving out of that neighborhood, we’ve lived hundreds of miles apart, and we’ve lived in the same town. We’ve texted and emailed and talked on the phone. We’ve mailed letters and presents. We’ve been in each other’s weddings and loved on each other’s kids. Even though we aren’t neighbors anymore, we can pick up where we left off when we do get to hang out.

This time we got to hang out for not quite 24 hours. Katie treated me to the gift of time. She sneaked away from her family to come hang out with mine four hours away. We shared meals, caught up with stories, and sat around in our soft pants. She snuggled with my kids and laughed at their jokes.

We parted ways after eating Thai food, but we’ve talked on the phone and texted more than once since Saturday afternoon. Katie has known me and loved me since I was 11 years old. I cherish our history. A little time with her always makes me wish for more but leaves me grateful the conversation we share is ongoing.

The second half of my weekend involved conversations with newer friends with whom I share passions. Hope That Binds had a picnic for its volunteers Saturday evening on a beautiful property in Carlisle County. I’ve loved connecting with this adoption ministry and helping with the quarterly newsletter and some events that connection families who love adoption. The evening was full of adoption stories, many kids who loved the chance to swim even though it wasn’t even 80 degrees, good food, reminders that God created us for community, and hope of what’s to come next.

On Sunday, our Guatemala mission team had a Trades of Hope fundraiser. It was a win-win, for sure. Our friend Becky Lile donated her commission from sales from our party to our team’s fund for the needed supplies for wheelchair distribution, home construction, and food and clothing distribution. Trades of Hope has fabulous fair trade accessories – jewelry, bags, stationary, scarves, home décor – that empower female artisans who are working their way out of poverty. It’s more than charity because these women are taught how to run a sustainable business.

(Actually, the party link will open for at least a few more days, if you’re interested in coming along side us for this fundraiser.)

Hope was the theme – and not just because I spent time with Hope That Binds and Trades of Hope. Seeing hope is choosing joy for my soul. {Tweet that.}

The history of my friendship with Katie – and other friends who have walked through so many different seasons of change with me – gives me hope because those moments then helped make me into who I am now. Meanwhile, new friends offer fresh hope that what we’re doing together now matters.

How are you experiencing hope these days?
________________
I'm linking up with the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood Gathering, where hope abounds. 

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."

Seven Things I Learned in March

I love this time of the year! March was full of basketball and transition from winter to spring, mostly. Dirt has been tracked in the house because the kids have been spending more time outside. That also means more showers are required! The days are longer, which I love for the evenings. Although we've all struggled to get up in the dark mornings since the time change at the beginning of the month.

Without further ado, here are some snapshots of my month, at least the parts that didn't involve watching basketball ... 

1. NEEDTOBREATHE is releasing a live album from the show I was at in September 2014! It was such a fun night and I'm so excited to have it to listen to over and over again. You'll want it too!

2. Third Day worship music is my favorite. I love the new stuff.

3. I'm not a fan of mopey, rebellious Rory Gilmore. Like the one at the beginning of season six. Thankfully, I'm past that now.

4. In the middle of wintry temps, just before a snow storm, a 65-degree day is possible. Like a reminder that spring is coming. We involved ice cream. In Murray, we have an old-fashioned, walk-up Dairy Queen that really does make ice cream taste better.

Then later in the month, I had the air conditioning on one day and the heat on the next. We've worn flip flops and down vests in one week. Ah, Kentucky weather ... 

5. Pizza quesadillas are delicious. "Dashing Dish" inspired me. You'll just need tortillas, pizza sauce, cheese, and any other toppings. So far we've used bacon and pepperoni, but the possibilities are endless.

6. We (almost) sold our lake house. I don't like that circumstances beyond our control dictated that we needed to, but I'm glad we have the sale under contract and we can move on. Maybe to another place on the lake one day. I still manage another vacation rental property at Kentucky Lake that someone else owns.

7. Choosing joy is always good for my soul. Yeah, not new, I know. But here we are, three months into the new year, and God is still using my counting joys for the good.

167. Ben working on learning to ride his bike. 168. America Adopts Daniel party and celebrating with friends. 169. Jaclyn's birthday lunch & trivia night in the same day - more celebrations! 170. Long lunch at Tumbleweed between church & business meeting while UK wins 34th game. ... 173. Being able to help Sarah with kids while Susannah was born. ... 175. Getting hair colored, highlighted, and cut. 176. Walking outside, finally. ... 181. Purging/organizing kids' clothes. 182. Cate and Ben playing with neighbor kids. 183. Ben meeting Murray State's Cam Payne.

How was your March? Learn anything fun or interesting? ________________
I'm linking up with Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky. Read previous Things I Learned posts: {From 2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. {From 2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September. October. November. December. {From 2015} January. February.

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox.

Amazon affiliate links included. 

Three Word Wednesday :: Keep On Singing

You know that song “10,000 Reasons”? I love it, but one part gets me every time:

“Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me

let me be singing when the evening comes.”

That line gets me because most evenings I’m not singing. Really, most evenings I’m done trying to hold myself together. And plenty of evenings I’ve already crumbled.

When the evening comes, I’ve refereed sibling arguments while cooking dinner. I’ve been disappointed by people I love dearly. I’ve answered the same questions multiple times. I’ve been frustrated with those hard-to-love people in my life. I’ve been challenged and encouraged and failed in a matter of minutes.

But whatever may pass, whatever lies before me, God wants me to be singing. {Tweet that.}

I’m not patient, naturally. But I know that’s what God is working on in my life. He wants me to see people as he sees them. He wants me to remember my kids are watching me. He wants me to know him more so I can be more like him.

“You’re rich in love, and You’re slow to anger

Your name is great, and Your heart is kind.

For all Your goodness I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find …”

My husband and I had a hard conversation this weekend. It was one of those that started with one frustration I was having and overflowed into other related struggles. The conversation ended with him encouraging me to have a different perspective.

Y’all, adjusting my perspective is hard. And, really, I was at a loss of how to even begin. And then just two nights later during our small group, a wise friend said, “When we change what we think, we can change how we act.”

God answered the question I’d been holding onto. He reminded me he’s working here – beginning in my soul and overflowing into my home and my relationships.

The following night – three nights from when Greg and I stayed up too late discussing some hard parts of life – my daughter wandered out of bed a couple hours after we had tucked her in. “Is Jesus coming back tomorrow?” she asked us sincerely.

The three of us talked about how the Bible tells us we don’t know when Jesus is coming back but he is one day. We talked about how God tells us not to worry about tomorrow because he’s already there.

“He knows my whole life, doesn’t he?” Cate asked.

“Yes, and we’re so glad he knew you would be our daughter,” Greg told her.

We talked some about salvation and baptism and what being a Christian looks like. We talked about how we can’t do anything other than believe to become a Christian, but that when we do decide to follow Jesus there is a responsibility to love and serve others.

When Cate walked back upstairs, I could tell she was more at peace than when she came down 10 minutes earlier. Greg and I were reminded that despite our imperfections, God is working here in our family.

That hard conversation with my husband. The unsolicited advice from my friend. The unexpected conversation with my daughter. Those are reasons to keep on singing.

I add them to my #choosingJOY list on my phone and glance at others :: 148. Listening to music with Greg while driving home with the kids sleeping. 149. Kids’ excitement over passports. 150. Sky High Sports. 151. Songs and sermons that convict and encourage at the same time. 152. Doughnuts. 153. All four of us falling back asleep in our bed on Sunday morning. 154. Seeing God bring people and visions together.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul

O my soul

Worship His holy name

Sing like never before

O my soul

I’ll worship Your holy name”

________________

An InLinkz Link-up

I'm also linking up with Lyli Dunbar's Thought-Provoking Thursday. 

Want more insights? "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin', or subscribe to receive "Insights in Your Inbox."