{{Today is Friday!!!ĆĀ It is the day I link with Lisa Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday. Here is how it worksĆ¢ā¬Ā¦. One word prompt. Five minutes. No editing. Lots of women. We all write on the same word.}}
Today the word is …. joy.
I sat here, for way more than five minutes, trying to think of what to write. Joy. To be honest, most days I think I have joy. Then there are days, I just go through my daily routine and I am not sure if I have felt much of anything but exhaustion š But yesterday brought me joy. No doubt, hands down.
I have now been watching granddaughters, while their parents work, for the last six years of my life. Full time. Every day.
If I were to be honest, if I let my mind go and think about it through, I would probably exhaust myself. And feel overwhelmed.
With wrong and selfish thoughts. Thoughts that would center around me. I might even be tempted to give myself the proverbial pat on the back for being “so giving”.
But yesterday I sat on the floor, playing Legos with Jocelyn, now 21 months old. Those Legos which have been strewn around my family room floor, been stepped on and made a mess everywhere. I took one little Lego monkey, made it jump into her snack bowl, making the sound of hungrily eating her snack and ….. JOY!
Jocelyn laughed so hard, so long, so loud. She literally was buckled over laughing, unable to hold herself up. For the longest time.
And the sound of her laughter, filled my heart with such joy, my eyes were squirting joy.
Yeah, the joy brought me tears.
Tears to realize, we can never sacrifice and do what is pleasing to God, by which He does not give us joy in return. So plain and simple.
“He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” (Job 8:21, NLT)
And sometimes, it takes a Lego to make us see the joy which is right before us.
Today I am joining … Five Minute Friday and Fellowship Fri. and Faith Filled Fri. and Essential Fri. and Fri. Flash Blog and Whatever is Lovely and Everyday Jesus and Fri. Favorites .
Tears of joy are the best!
They truly are! Wishing you much joy today!
Silly little monkey. š We are about to have company, visiting missionaries, and I’ve spent a week preparing and have a busy week ahead. But I bet there’ll be joy there too! Thanks
May there be much joy in your home as you offer hospitality this week! Thank you for stopping here this morning! Blessings!
Kiddos are the best joy bringers (especially when they belly laugh)! I hope you have another joyful day today, even if it means falling into bed at the end of the day.
So very true, Sally! There is no sound better than a little one’s belly laugh!
You are giving to care for your grandchildren every day! That’s awesome. Even better that you’re actually playing with them. That unstructured play has always been hardest for me and it makes my kids so joyful when I do just play with them. Visiting from FMF!
Oh my gosh, Lindsey, I think both girls think I am their playmate š And I love it! Knowing how quickly it passed with my own children, I know these day will pass soon. Grateful that I have them. Thanks for the visit!
I love this post! That you!
I meant, “Thank you!” Sorry!
Thank you for visiting here!
Great reminder! I, too, have a playroom strewn with Legos. Someday my little Lego engineers will be grown and gone and then I’ll be sad.
It passes way too quickly for sure! Enjoy them!
What a lovely reminder of seeing the joy we sometimes overlook, in the every day! Blessed to read your words today š
It is so true – we can overlook the blessing if we focus on the mess before us. Thank you for visiting with me!
This POST brought me joy, legos and all. Thanks, girl. Love, love, LOVE!
Grateful that it did, Sharita. Thank you for hosting the linkup each week!
I love it when my kiddos break through my grouchy, distracted day with laughter. Nothing makes me smile more. š
You expressed it well – their laughter breaks through our grouchy selves! Have a Sunday filled with blessing and laughter.
So many of us wrote about finding joy in the everyday! Isn’t it awesome how those grands can center us without even trying? Thanks for your encouragement today, friend.
I love it, Holly! One word can do such a great work. May your day be filled with His joy!
Beautiful post, Joanne! God has his own amazing way to teach us every single moment of our lives. Praise God!
Thank you for visiting me, Helen. You have made my life richer, friend! So grateful to have joined your group. Have a blessed Sunday!
This made me smile! I’m so glad you shared it with us!
Thanks you again for sharing at BeautyObserved! I look forward to seeing you every Friday <3