Change of Focus

I have this mug. I was going to buy just one recently, as a gift for my Grandma's birthday. But between the shelf and the checkout counter, I fell in love with it (and the idea of having a matching Grandma mug), and went back to get another.

As I sipped my coffee this morning, still piping hot from the brewer, one of my favorite features of the mug was slowly revealed... the word "Joy".

While I tend to be an optimistic person, I still get caught up in the daily grind, the common features of my current life as a housewife and Mama to 2 young children. Seeing that word "Joy" opens my eyes a little wider and reminds me to feel the vibrancy of the blessings I have been given.

Quite frankly, this is one of the main reasons I keep this blog. As a reminder to myself... a live journal of my life. I know that I tend to keep the personal stuff out of my writing, choosing to not share with you when there are ugly things going on in my head. The hard things I talk about with God and those close to me, and if I have to write them down, they go with pen onto paper. There are enough hard and ugly things around each of us every day; you don't need to read more here on my blog. I want this to be a place that you always visit and leave with a lighter heart...

My intent when I sat down this morning was just to share a couple of photos, and somehow my fingers started banging away, so bear with me if I'm rambling.

I guess I just want to share a little of my heart with you, to let you know that although I might come across as a woman who has it all together all-day every-day, firstly, it is not because I am trying to present myself as such, hiding behind a facade, and secondly, it is not because I live a charmed life. I have been blessed in so many tangible ways, but there are plenty of real-time struggles with money, health, inter-personal relationships, cleanliness, politics, emotions, you-name-it. I just happen to prefer looking for the highlights in life, fixing my thoughts on those moments of Joy interspersed with the grit.

And sharing those moments here with you, helps to cement them into my own narrative, creating a permanence for the Joy, allowing the grit to sift away for lack of attention.

Then, all it takes is a slight adjustment for my mind's eye to shift from a mere focus on Joy...

to an ever-thankful attitude of praise toward the One who created me.