Choosing joy is an essential part of growing a healthy family, and an attitude of gratitude is vital in the cultivation of marriage. It wasn’t until recent years, however, that I realized just how important our happiness is to my husband and why.
He delights in the joy of his family because he sees our gratitude as a reflection of his gift to us. If we’re on vacation and everyone is having a great time, as our provider, he gains a sense of accomplishment. If we’re at the beach and the kids are laughing and splashing away in the water I can tell that my husband is exactly where he wants to be. One look at his smile confirms I am right.
Just this past Sunday he spent time taking the roof and doors off of our jeep so that we could enjoy fireworks from the comfort of our car. Then he crawled through heavy traffic trying to find us a great place to park. We had an amazing time watching the fireworks, in fact it was one of the best days I've had in a long time.
On our way home I made sure to tell him what an incredible day that I had, "I haven't enjoyed a day as much as this one in years." I said. "Thank you!" And it couldn't have been more true. The night sky was beautiful, the kids were in the back seat and we were feeling the wind in our hair.
I could tell by the tone of his response that he was blessed by my encouragement and my appreciation.
There’s a saying that goes, “When mama is happy, everyone is happy.” I’ve found that to be true in my own home as my mood often sets the tempo in our house.
I love the sounds of a happy home: music playing sewing machine humming, treadmill tapping, clocks ticking, pages turning, noses sniffling, dishes clattering in a sink of soapy water, the gentle pitter patter of slippered feet…
Few things in this life are orchestrated as beautifully as the concerto of family life. And we as mothers hold the power to direct the rhythm it holds. Let's go back to grade ten--it was my favorite school year by far. It was the first year I had my own locker—a corner of the world carved out just for me. Two things hung on the door of that locker (three if you’re counting Scott Baio!).
The first was a verse taken from the Living translation of the Bible:
When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong;
when he is cheerful, everything seems right!
~ Proverbs 15:15, Living Bible
And the second was a poem that reminded me to choose joy in every situation I face. Those words were a constant reminder to keep my mood in check.Much has changed since those days spent in the hallways at Glenlawn Collegiate, but some things never change. I might not have the gray locker third down from the hall anymore, but I do have the God-given ability to choose joy for both myself and my family. And I do!
Bloggers: Join the party...
Today and every Tuesday, I want to invite bloggers to link-up any blog posts that will encourage women to joyfully live out their roles as wives and keepers of their homes I'm looking for posts on marriage, parenting, housekeeping, recipes, etc.
All you have to do is enter the direct link from your post into the linky tool below!I'd also like to ask you to link back here with the Titus 2sday code (below) so that other bloggers can join in too!
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene
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