commanding JOY

Good Morning! So, yesterday Zachary and I spent 2 hours in line trying to get the ole' car re-tagged. We got to the DMV and they looked for a good half hour trying to find our personal property tax records and came up that we were not even in the system. So, then, we drove to the County Administrative Office were we waited in line for another 45 minutes. When we got up there I explained the situation and was informed I never confirmed our moving to the county 2 years ago! Opps! So, getting that all straightened out {45 minutes and 800 dollars later} we drive back to the DMV and wait another 30 minutes then it is OUR turn! 15 minutes later we are walking out with our plates re-tagged for 2 years! Hallelujah!

One can look at this 2 ways: Way 1: 2 hours in line with a 2 year old dealing with rude receptionists and impatient, ignorant people in front and behind you. Being fined $150 for late taxes when you weren't even in the system.{ugh}And, the cherry on top of the cake $800 dollars outta your checkbook, forever. OR Way 2: 2 hours getting to spend holding hands with your child while people complement him for being so GOOD and CUTE! {as if I didn't already know these things;)} $800 is a lot of money but at least I had it and I have transportation to be taxed on.

God doesn't give us the chose if you want to be a Debbie downer and always look at the negative, that is fine as long as you tithe and do your church thing; NO, he commands us to chose JOY and rejoice in him in every situation! Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again; Rejoice!"

God longs for us to have joy and have it in it's full measure; John 15:11 "...MY joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete" Joy is part of who God is, we are to be like Him and bare his fruits.  John 17:13 "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy with them" Jesus let his disciples see him praying and having fellowship with His Father so that we could see the full extent of his contentment and joy.

Joy is a conscious decision to look at the situation and see the good even when the bad is shining through; hence my car situation yesterday. It is having a grateful outlook and positive perspective.

 Happiness and Joy can often be confused as one thing but are completely different. Happiness comes through positive circumstances {new job, raise, finding money in your coat pocket, having a baby} and, joy is the chose to see the positive {flat tire but thank God we have a spare}. God does want us to experience happiness, which, is why I think he gives us these happy situations. We are his children and he wants nothing more than us to experience he full blessings upon our lives. And, with these blessings comes happiness!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstance; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." <---my favorite!

So, with this I am Cindy Simmons and I am choosing joy.

Pastor Mike {our amazing pastor} gave a sermon Sunday about how God commands us to be joyful and I found it super awesome so this is my reflections on it!