Joy (Five Minute Friday)

another week where I don't write until Thursday. But another week where I still made the time to write. Will come in just under an hour before the link closes. That works. It's still done, after all.

And then maybe I will write again tomorrow. Or late tonight. Or ... wait until next Thursday and scramble to fit it in.

But Five Minute Friday is where it's at. Where we stop and just write with no room for criticism, even of ourselves. The rules are simple:
1. Find the word of the week. Set your timer for 5 minutes. Write whatever you think of.
2. Link up with the gang over at Lisa-Jo's Bench.
3. Visit the one who linked before you. Leave a comment. Bring a ray of sunshine. That's the one unbreakable rule. The heart of the Five Minute Friday Community. So pull up a page and join us!

< and if you want to chat a bit, look us up on Twitter on Thursday nights - under #FMFParty We'd love to see you there! >

This week, here's my 5 minutes on:

JOY.

Some days joy comes easy. The kids have smiles from the time they get up and no one bickers on the way to the breakfast table. Some days it's a little harder - there's a gloomy cloud in the sky. The meeting that ran over and made you late the whole rest of the day for everything. The kids who won't brush their teeth without telling you seventy-eleven stories about everything that pops into their rum-amok brains right as they think it. Some days it is downright HARD. Hard to find the specks of joy in the midst of the mess.
Today was one of those days. At first. I found out that a friend who had been bravely battling breast cancer lost her battle. She's in a better place now, but she left behind a husband and a little girl. Younger than my youngest. It's hard to find JOY in that. So I had to dig a little deeper today. Look for some joy elsewhere.

And then I got great news. A new life. Some other friends welcomed their firstborn son in the wee hours. So as one life has ended and left us with memories, and tears for the moment; a new life has begun. And then I got some more good news. My dear friends who have been waiting YEARS to hear of adopting a daughter from China got the last piece of paperwork today. They have their appointment at the Consulate. A journey that began 9 years ago while my oldest was still in her newborn days is finally coming to the destination. They'll be traveling in about 3 weeks - a family of 3 - and then will return home a family of 4.

And as I rode the emotional roller coaster today, from loss to life, I was reminded of this:
in all things we choose. We can choose to look for the joy in every day. And on days when we think we can't possibly find it, then on those days The Lord drops something joyous into our lives to remind us that it IS there. Always. If we only look.

John 16:22 "So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."

With one farewell and two hellos, I am thankful to have found joy in today, even in the sadness.

Stop.

PS. Until today, I walked in Elisa's honor. As of today, I walk in her memory. Every year, until we find a cure. If you'd like to give to my Avon Walk for Breast Cancer fund, here is where you can help. Jen's Avon Walk page