Day 22... Joy and Strength #31days

Do you ever wonder how you are going to do this?  Perhaps it is cleaning out the garage.  Maybe it is folding that mountain of laundry.  It might be going to the doctor to get test results.  It might be waiting while someone you love fights for their life in an operating room.

My days like this vary just like yours.  There are days when the phone rings and you just don't know where your going to get the strength to do what you know is ahead of you.  Some days I don't want to either.

I have found that God gives me strength when I need it but it doesn't look like I think it should.

Nehemiah 8:10 says "... for the joy of the Lord is my strength."

We put this on the 7th stone in the hopscotch.  Can you see the ladybug's head?  This just makes me smile!

I learned a long time ago that "joy" comes from the Lord.  I want to be happy but "joy" is different.  It is a gift.  It does lift me up in a way that a happy moment can not.  Joy does come when I need it.  It even comes when I don't expect it.

Often a phrase from a praise song comes to my head when I feel week and vulnerable.  "You are my strength when I am weak, you are the treasure that I seek you are my all in all."

God often floats that song through my head and heart and helps me to refocus my worry and concern on Him.  Because many of my days like this involve my daughter I breath and take one look at her face and realize that every move I make and thing I say will impact how she responds.  I usually smile and find one of my silly "mom phrases" to assess the situation and make another move.  We have learned to find joy in lots of unusual places...  the ER (usually once an iv is running), a hospital room (she controls the tv!), doctor's appointments, forced isolation days at home.  God continues to give us joy and strength.  One thing that has come of this is that she immediately looks for these fun things in these stressful moments as she gets older.  I admit, it seems like she is often driving the "joy" and I am being reminded to get on board.

When she was little I worried that she would struggle with all of the hard things she has to deal with.  Most of the time she does a great job!  She lights up a doctor's office when we are there.  She embraces movie days at home (no matter what she is missing with her friends).  She has an amazing perspective on life.  I'm so glad God has been filling her heart with joy through these years!!!!