joy

"Joy is an emotion undergirded by fact."

something shared by a very wise woman this morning at a "mom's gathering" at church. very convicting words spoken...

and the "fact" that she was talking about is that God sovereign and in control of everything - whether we "like" what He's doing or not.

HOPE is what we have in Christ...and JOY is our response to that hope.

i find that it's easier for me to have joy in the midst of big trials as opposed to small ones. that might sound weird. but, when i'm told that someone i love has a terminal illness, i have to have hope and joy. there's no other option. i'm completely out of control. (yes, i also will be sad and mad...joy is not to be confused with happiness). but, when i'm trying to get dinner on the table, and bailey needs to be taken to the bathroom, and rebekah is asking for another pencil to finish her homework and the phone is ringing...THAT'S when i lose my joy. and THAT'S what i need to work on.