More Joy.....

More posts on things to bring you joy....This season can be so fraught with landmines....stresses from work, money (or lack of it), expectations which fall far shorter than what we had envisioned....family which can stress you or family which is far away...funny, it can be that they are either too close or too far...


However, I do think that there are a lot of things to focus on and be grateful for....sometimes if we focus on the little things, the things that bring us joy can help alleviate the stress and even if we aren't stressed or sad, they can bring a smile to your face.  So...my gift brought to you with the help of my friends started yesterday....and I'll continue to put in some until I run out or the year does.....Katie, my niece, listed Christmas lights on houses as bringing her joy, so I thought that this was a good image for this post...lights in darkness....


I'm blessed to have many friends who are able to say that their families bring them joy, as well as their husbands.  Sometimes, these were relationships which didn't work out so well the first time around....


Mollie wrote:  Singing and playing the flute at an orphanage, seeing a Japanese tsunami survivor smile after 8 months, simple things like sitting with my cats early in the morning when no one else is awake..feeling a cool breeze brush my face, the warm sun,breathing, just realizing what a gift every day is and treating it that way friends--real ones, and  most importantly the sweetness of knowing I'm loved by God.  Whew. . . joy is the life experience beyond myself! 


Well said.....


Barb noted some sweet ones:  snow on Christmas eve, children's laughter, a Christmas pagent presented by children....