Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have. ANONYMOUS
LIFE IS FULL of blessings we take for granted. Yet so often we dwell on what we don’t have. I think the more we dwell on that, the harder it is to come by joy. So if yearning for things robs you of your joy, the opposite must be true. Glory in what you have, and the joy will come flowing through! This is the Ellen version of “stop and smell the roses.” Don’t just be happy about the things or people in your life . . . take glory in them. Celebrate them. Be in awe of them. This isn’t about the stuff-it’s about how your heart thinks about the stuff! One important note: in order to glory in what you have, you will need to have mastered being in this moment. So what do I glory in?
• A walk. I glory in the fact that I have feet and that I can walk. I walk every day. It’s good for my heart, my mind, and my derriere. What a blessing! • My Dean Martin CD. Dean Martin is pure joy. My mom, who died several years ago, loved Dean Martin and played his albums almost every Saturday evening when I was growing up. Warm, fond memories are good for joy. • Cut flowers. I pick up a bouquet of cut flowers at the grocery store every week. Girlfriend, $6.99 can’t buy anything else this good! Every time I look at them I am amazed at the creativity of our God. Joy in a six-inch vase. How cool is that? • Dancing. I just dance and dance and dance . . . usually in the kitchen and usually to Dean Martin. I’m not very good but it seems to provide great entertainment for my husband-he gets joy from watching my joy! • Sunshine. I’m fueled by sunny, warm days. How can sunlight possibly be free? Well . . . I guess if you live in California you pay for it in property costs. But for the rest of us, it’s free. Sunshine brings me joy.
O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! (I CHRONICLES 29:13)
What do you glory in? Take a few minutes to make your own list. Once you recognize what you glory in and you learn to be in this moment-you’ll glory in more. And that will bring you joy.
TAMF m:41 xh:41 T: 20 M: 15 D: 16 D: 14 Bomb dropped: 7/3/10 separated: 7/15/10 H moved in to new apt. with OW: 7/1/11 divorced: 8/26/12
