Happiness and Joy: trying to reclaim them both.

Kelly: Earlier today, Holly and I were driving to get our electric bill straightened out. Not to worry...just a wee bit of confusion, but all is well now. Anyway, while we were in the car, we started talking about church yesterday and the sermon. Though its entirety was quite excellent, there was one particular part about it that we talked about, which talked about reclaiming the joy in our lives. For me it required a bit of thinking: where is the joy in my life? What makes me happy?

So I started thinking about it. There are A LOT of things that make me happy, but the joy in life comes from having God in my life. This morning I woke up, still dead tired but I uttered half-asleep but half awake "God. Thank you that I woke up this morning to live another day." Simple. And despite hearing some rather frightening news, I've been ok. I got out of bed happier and was not grumpy today. At all. Not even a bit. Well...no. No I wasn't. And that was God. That was all God and nothing else. Now I'm not trying to preach, but it's really true. I think that finding joy in your life involves making choices. Some choices will be big, others just small and subtle. But if you really think about it, in my opinion it really isn't that hard. You can choose the minute you wake up what your attitude is going to be like. If you wake up grumpy and pissy, then you're going to be grumpy and pissy until either the day ends or you eventually snap out of it. Harsh truth, I know. I'm not trying to be harsh, just genuine. So anyway, there actually is a point to all of this. For me, I think about things or people that make me happy and focus on them. There's too much negativity in the world as it is, and I'm trying to not let the weight of it bring me down. So far I think it's working. And trust me, people DO notice. Sometimes not right away, but they do. I cannot tell you how many times people have told me that I am a joyful person. Someone once said Holly and I have "contagious" personalities...interpret that however you wish.

One of my favorite movies is "The Bucket List." If you have not seen it, please do. Anyway, one of the last spoken lines is actually a letter that was written. One of the lines read says this simple phrase: find the joy in your life. Simple? Yes, actually it is. Another favorite movie of mine is Amazing Grace. Again, definitely worth a look. One of my favorite parts in the entire movie is when William Wilberforce is sitting on the dewy grass in his backyard, despite the fact he has a busy day. Anyway, he's about to start a prayer when he is interrupted by his butler or cook. He asks if he's ok, and Wilberforce's response is this:
It's God. I have 10,000 engagements of state today but I would rather prefer to spend the day out here getting a wet arse, studying dandelions and marveling at...bloody spider's webs. His butler then replies "You found God?" Wilberforce replies "I think He found me." Joy. Joy from the simple things even if you have a crazy day ahead of you. My challenge for me is to let God find me so that I may get lost in the joy of life and the little things around me.

Holly: "My challenge for me is to let God find me so that I may get lost in the joy of life and the little things around me."  I could not have said that better myself.

It's suffice to say that Kelly and I have A LOT of apartment-related issues/things not getting taken care of.  Aka absolutely nothing to do with us and entirely out of our hands and control.  While on our short drive Kelly and I were debating on what we think the difference is between joy and happiness.  To me, happiness is sort of just a feeling.  Like I see stuff that makes me laugh, or a dog at work licks my arm...oh, that makes me happy.  But joy is more of a choice. I was saying that it's a choice...DESPITE all the ^%@#$%^& going on, I'm choosing to have joy because the joy of God is my strength.  I also gave us a new mindset challenge: to look at every day as if it is a miracle...because....if you really get down to the nitty-gritty of it, IT IS!!  Back at Berea when Kelly and I were in our gospel choir (we've blogged about it many times), our learless feader/phenomenal woman of God would always say that we have to look at each day as if it is precious, because somebody went to bed last night and didn't wake up to see the new day.  Somebody didn't wake up this morning.  Somebody didn't make it home from work this afternoon.  Some little kid didn't make it home from school.  That's just the sad reality of it.

Earlier today I learned that a dear friend, mentor, and mother figure of mine had a heart attack last night.  I had just spoken to her yesterday morning at church.  My heart stopped, and it made me realize that life is way too freaking short and precious to have a bad attitude all the time.  And it all comes back to joy.  And people do notice.  It sets you apart from everyone else.  You become a light in such a dark world, and people reach out for just a glimpse of that light.  Make sure to not burn it out!  

I have a challenge for you: Have joy.  Yes, I have absolutely no idea what is going on in your life, and I won't bore you with the details of mine.  But I urge you to look at each day, and thank God/whomever you thank.  Look to each sunrise and say "Thank you for a new day, a new start.  I'm still HERE!"  :)

We're still here.

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."  -Thorin Oakenshield, "The Hobbit"

Our bucket lists

Kelly: I am a woman of my word. I mentioned in yesterday's post that I would have our bucket lists on display for all to see. If you don't know what a bucket list is...watch the movie. It will change your life. I will start with mine. (listed in no particular order of completion)

*Visit a monastery
*Go back to Scotland
*Learn to drive a standard transmission car
*Complete a "Photo a day for one year" album on Facebook
*Keep in touch regularly with at least three college friends after I graduate
*Visit the west coast of the US
*Visit Toronto (saw Niagra Falls. Want to see more of the country)
*Go on stage for a Whose Live or other improv comedy show
*Write and successfully send a fan letter to....I don't know yet
*Attend a "Price is Right" taping

Nothing much. Achievable? Possibly. I have this list saved on my computer and when/if I complete an item I will cross it off along with the date(s) in which it was completed.

Holly: Some of my items are the same as Kelly's.  Or similar.  But I managed to jot down a few unique goals of my own.

1. Finish/make a t-shirt quilt (I already have shirts picked out)
2. Meet Ryan.  Or someone else from Whose Line.  But mostly Ryan.  (Already met 2 so I'm on a roll :D )
3. Pull a practical joke on someone, preferably someone at Berea.
4. Go back to England.
5. Go back to Nicaragua.
6. Visit New Zealand, Finland, and Toronto at some point.
7. Go to the west coast of the U.S.
8. Take a road trip.
9. Go to NYC on New Year's Eve to watch the ball drop.
10. Adopt a kitty from a shelter.
11. Watch all the Harry Potter movies in one sitting.
12. Visit the Hollywood square with all the celebrity stars on it (I can't remember the name of it)
13. Attend a Price is Right taping with Kelly.  Possibly accomplish #12 during that time.
14. Donate to Berea.
15. Learn to play guitar.
16. Knit a bunch of baby blankets and donate them to a hospital.
17. See our nation's capital (I've seen two capitals in two different countries but not even my own!)
18. Keep our blog going for as long as possible.
19. Meet Jeremy Camp.
20. Try everything on Berea Coffee and Tea's menu at least once.