Now I am fully aware that Choose Joy! is my theme when I speak. I can work it into any topic, any season, because we all need to remember to look on the bright side of life. It’s the verse I write inside my books when I sign them, I Thes. 5:16 Be joyful always. It’s pretty clear cut and simple…. to READ. But not always that simple to live out. I remind myself often to choose joy.
On the darker side, there are several little things in my life currently that when piled on top of a sinus headache, become gargantuan annoyances. They blind my ability to choose joy. Usually I can choose joy when seeing these MINOR details in my life. Please let me get these off my chest and then I’ll go take some more sinus medicine. I’m not sure why little things bug me, but I’ve got a list that I feel compelled to share. And if Mr. Fixit happens to read my blog and get with the program, hey, there could be a lasagna in his future. (Who ever said that a man can’t be reached through food??? Remember Queen Esther and her TWO feasts???)
1. The back tail light cover for our brake light on the van has been MIA for … oh, I don’t even know how long. I feel like I’m driving the ghetto van. My dear husband has put effort into locating a new one, but it has not happened yet. (2005 Dodge Caravan, in case someone sees one at a garage sale.)
2. The toilet rings in our 3 toilets are all old and stick. This may seem like a trivial deal, but when you’re using them every day … WITH a sinus headache, it gets on my last nerve. And do those rings only have a 3.27 year life span? Why all three at the same time? At least space out my trips to Home Depot.
3. The dead grass in the backyard. We failed to seed the winter grass in October, when all good Phoenicians are supposed to seed. Now we’re just waiting for the summer grass to reappear. Nothing can be done about this, short of ripping it up and putting in sod. And that ain’t gonna happen til you-know-where freezes over. I just love looking at green grass in the desert, that’s all. Makes me feel like I might be in the northwest.
4. Weeds. Need I say more? Where are my children, the weed pullers? Most AZ landscape plans involve lots of rock. Our entire front yard is covered with rock. Tasteful, peachy-colored rock that is supposed to save water and be easy to look after. Not in January after it has rained. The weeds are prolific. If I bent over to pick them right now, my head would blow up. And do the kids want to clean up mother’s blown-up head? I think not.
5. The purple low-rider in the driveway. I have absolutely nothing to say about it. (Getting rid of it is on Rick’s 2009 list…. that he made himself!)
Ok, that’s enough. It’s time to choose joy again. I’m thankful for my God, my family near and far, my cozy home, our cars (that run), homeschooling, my church, my wonderful friends, my royal blue lobelia that is blooming in the backyard and for hot chocolate on a cold day. The joy has returned. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
January 28, 2009 at 8:48 am |
Amen.
January 28, 2009 at 9:19 am |
I think I would add hockey to your list. Sorry Canadians.
January 28, 2009 at 9:25 am |
I bet you made Linda roll her eyes on that one, Christy. For sure.
That’s good news that Maverick has getting rid of the Purple Low Rider on his 2009 to-do list. Unfortunately, there is 11 more months of 2009. I still say that you need to take it down south. Waaaaay south…..
That part about your head “blowing up” really put an ugly visual in my head, Miss Linda. Hope I don’t have nightmares.
January 28, 2009 at 10:08 am |
Jill, you should know better than to read my blog before bedtime. Hey, you read it at 9:25 am. Now, don’t go thinking on the blown up head all day now.
January 28, 2009 at 10:09 am |
Christy, you didn’t read carefully enough. It said “little annoyances” in my life that turn large with sinus pressure. Enough said.
January 28, 2009 at 4:40 pm |
We love you Linda. You are still joyful…even in the dark times. :)
January 28, 2009 at 4:40 pm |
Oh yeah, as far as the dreadful sinus headache, I tell ya the cure is to go on a vacation!
May 7, 2010 at 8:10 am |
That’s a very good article, thanks. :-)