Choosing JOY

October 27, 2011

I hear a familiar scream.

A fingernails on the black board kind of scream.

 For the umpteenth time. 

Dramatic. 

Because so and so did such and such. 

Justification. 

Blame. 

Self Righteousness.

Frustration. 

Again.

~

Then I decide that it all ends.

Now.

With me.

So, I sit my littles down for a nice, long heart to heart. 

~

We talk about how it feels 

when someone is unkind to us.

We talk about tolerance.

We talk about how we are all sitting in a room 

that holds what should be the most important people in our lives 

(plus Daddy, who is at work.)

~

We talk about choices.

We all have them to make.

We choose our actions.

We choose our reactions.

Each choice is attached to it's own consequence.

Either good or bad.

We make those choices 

independently from other people's choices.

~

We talk about what happens when we die 

and stand (or fall) at the feet of Jesus.

We will be alone.

Unable to lie.

Unable to blame someone else 

for our actions or reactions.

Accountable for every single choice we've made.

We talk about living our lives in a manner 

worthy to be sitting 

at the feet of Jesus in the first place.

Eyes focused more on the destination than the journey.

~

And then. 

We talk about LOVE.

It is the greatest command we've been given.

To LOVE.

As Jesus LOVED.

Not because it's earned or deserved.

Because Jesus said so.

 ~

We talk about choosing JOY.

Jesus first. Others second. Yourself last.

~

I am reminded today about 

Choosing JOY 

by a very dear friend of mine. 

~

Life is going to be unfair.

It's going to be difficult at times.

We are going to face obstacles and trials.

We can choose to fall down the hill or climb the mountain.

The choice is ours to make.

And with it, the reward- 

good or bad.

~

What do you choose?

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:34-35

"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Deuteronomy 6:5 

{Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Deuteronomy 4:29,  10:12, 11:1, 13:3, 19:9, 30:6, 30:16, 30:20, 1Kings 3:3, Psalm 119:2}