November 7, 2014
“You gotta find joy in the journey, right, Krista?” he said, eyes twinkling. Grabbing his wife, Traci’s, hand they made their way through the restaurant and sat down for their lunch date. Rodney is the care pastor at our church. He is also a grief specialist. He steps into people’s hurt in a most beautiful and helpful way. Yet, he balances the sad, painful part of life by making time for fun, joy, and humor. He is someone who has learned to live in the balance of both.
And we must learn this too.
There are seasons of marriage and parenting that are simply hard, or painful. We sit under the weight of all that is present and feel that we may be crushed in fear, in heart, or in spirit. And we might if we don’t balance it with the more hopeful side of life.
This is different than ignoring the problems at hand. There are issues. In all of our lives. Unfortunately, none of us escape trials of some kind. But we must learn to enjoy the journey in the midst of, and often, in spite of the difficulties.
When I’m feeling disconnected my teen, I plan a fun outing with her.
When my husband and I can’t seem to agree, I ask him to do an activity that he enjoys.
When I am feeling unappreciated as a mom, I let the tasks go, and ask one of my kids to play a game.
When I am tired of being in the car from carpooling, I crank up the music and sing at the top of my lungs.
Finding joy is a practice. The more we do it, the better we become at it. Even when life is hard.
Here are some ideas:
Dare #29: Pick one of the 10 ideas and do it today.
{This is part of the 31 Days of Reclaiming Home series}
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