joy in the journey

Ok, so where have I been for the past 6 weeks? Well, for the two of you that were curious enough to hang in there and are reading this, I'm ok. Lots of changes that continue to overwhelm me. For one, I'm working. And when I'm not working I'm too tired and exhausted to do much of anything else. My job is very physical. I work at a Fry's Store (Kroger) in the kitchen department. I love the variety of work, making the time go by fast. I love the atmosphere. I don't love unloading a semi truck-load of heavy boxes and crates every night. Oh and yes, I work nights. And because I 'm a morning person and wake up before 5, and I don't get to bed now till after midnight, I'm going on very little sleep these days. Thus the lack of blog posts. Sleep deprivation has stolen much of my ability to concentrate and create interesting blog posts. And let's be honest, I don't have much of a life to blog about since starting work.

Anyway, enough of the negativity.
The weather here in Phoenix is simply gorgeous. We've been well below 100 for weeks. That usually doesn't happen till after Halloween. My cool morning walks with Koda are truly the highlight of my day. I cry out to God to give me strength to do the things that need to be done and to give me peace, joy and contentment. Oh and love. His love.

Yesterday I was talking to God about joy. If my circumstances never change, can I truly find joy again?  Well, when I got on Facebook a couple hours later, my friend posted this. Oh and btw, she is battling cancer. And she is a mother to four young children. And she has joy!

I was thinking about joy this morning. It isn't necessarily present in those you think it should be. I have been surprised to see a real lack of it in the rich and the famous and I have observed a serious supply in the weak, even the suffering and those who live simply. It is a confusing emotion because in some people it isn't even present. Joy is a gift. One you must choose to unwrap, no one can do it for you. The amount you have is the amount you are willing to receive. It comes directly from God. It is the cure for anxiety, weakness and fear. It is what fills up the hole so those things can't enter. It heals us from pain, loss, need, sorrow, illness and even kills cancer. It comes at a price that some people think too expensive. A choice to let God make your choices. It comes with a hunger for God's Word and a relentless pursuit to fulfill His passions. 
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

Wow, did I need to read that or what! So this morning on my walk with Koda, I chose to unwrap joy... to put on joy. To let joy heal my sadness... my fears. I will choose joy in the journey. And be thankful. No matter what God allows in my path.

Ok, so I can't post a blog post without photos. These are some recent photos of my husband Randy with our twin grandson's Nathan & Jonah. They are 17 months now and cute as bugs. So thankful for these little guys. They sure bring a lot of joy to our lives.