JOY
This time of year is always a little overwhelming.
Work is crazy. Tax CPA’s have a traditional busy season that typically ends with the April 15th tax return due date, but it seems like that doesn’t really mean anything anymore. It never slows down and there’s always at least some level of craziness! Such is life.
It’s the end of the school year, and even though Kate’s only in Kindergarten and probably doesn’t even really know that summer break is near, we are all reaching that point where the extended break is needed. We’re completely over homework and behavior charts and reading logs and permission slips and sandals that have to have backs on them and… I could go on but I think you get the point. So yeah, school is crazy.
Home life is crazy too. The girls started swim lessons, which takes up yet another week night. Pretty soon they’ll all be full with something. It’s finally starting to warm up, which means grass is growing (and needing to be mowed) and all of the outdoor projects on our “to do” list are getting into full swing. So far we’ve planted flowers, put down new stone borders around our entire house, and painted the storage building, which just puts a small dent in all of our projects. There’s always something.
The other day I saw someone share this picture and I really need to find where it’s from because I need it hanging somewhere in our house:
I mean really, how true is this? It’s all about perspective and knowing that sometimes you WILL be buried in work, in responsibilities, in chores, in project, in WHATEVER. But God can help you through it and use those situations to make you ready for something even bigger.
Friday evening the girls and I ran over to Papa John’s to pick up a pizza for dinner while Kevin was mowing the grass. It was 70 degrees outside, the sun was down, and we rode home with the windows down and the music turned up. From the back seat I hear Kate and Karsten singing along at the top of their lungs to the song “Joy” by Johnny Diaz.
I’ve got JOY down in my soul,
I’m gonna take it everywhere I go,
not gonna worry ’bout what I don’t know.
I’ll be alright as long as I’ve got
JOY here in my heart,
wavin’ like a torch fightin’ off the dark,
in the jet black night I’m gonna see the stars,
I’ll be alright as long as I’ve got JOY!
As I listened to them singing, I couldn’t help but be filled with thankfulness for the JOY that comes in the peace of knowing Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Yes, life is crazy. But thankfully my peace doesn’t come from this life and from this world. Instead it comes from the One who created it all.
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