Count It All Joy
Count it all joy… I remember this story I listened to as a kid about a man who lost everything. He chose in his tragedy to “count it all joy”; that no matter what life brings, be it good or bad, it is a choice to accept what is with fervent joy.
Anyone who has ever met me knows I am a realist. Critical at times for the sake of picking apart life to understand to deeper meanings behind actions, decisions, and so on. Yet lately I have been examining that approach. Although effective in a lot of ways, and it will ever be apart of who I am, it can cause imbalance. Let me explain…
Too critical can come across complaining. Too “real” can come across harsh. Too factual can come across cold. The balance comes with coupling realism with empathy as to avoid apathy. Hope and dreams to replace current facts – change the facts for a brighter day! Joy, not to replace realism, but to uplift what is mundane and sometimes difficult. Not to be fake with happiness, but to find contentment even when you are up to your elbows in life’s, well, …Count it all joy!
Joy, noun:
1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation: She felt the joy of seeing her son’s success.
2. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated: Her prose style is a pure joy.
3. the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.
4. a state of happiness or felicity.
Every diaper change, early breakfast made, temper tantrum held (mine or theirs), poop in pants, meal fed, naps held, busted lips, nose, or sneezed in face, Count It All Joy!
Joy, verb:
5. to feel joy; be glad; rejoice
For me, joy is attained by God’s grace. It is maintained by my choice to continue to try to find the joy in all of life’s quirks, difficulties, repetitions that challenge joy’s survival. I am choosing to Count It All Joy with all that is with in me.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. – James 1:2-6
I often type “Love you” to Chris in text messages and my phone just as often likes to auto-correct it to “Live you”. Although not my intent, it is still accurate. If I like it or not, I live through others lives, be it Chris, my kids, family, friends or even those in every day life around me. I must continue to learn to love them as much as I live them. My perspective, by ability to choose through life’s livings, is trying to Count It All Joy!
The purpose, I am learning, in life is not only to live and love others but to bring God, the ultimate creator of joy, through it all. I’ve known this, but not necessarily in the sense of joy. I suppose I always coupled joy with enthusiasm or gleefulness. Yet I am learning that joy isn’t always an outward expression but an inward contentment. Easier said that done, but it is something I am trying to count on more in all of life’s challenges. Count it all joy!
“Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.”
― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
13 Replies to “Count It All Joy”
wow my friend! once again you amaze me with your perspective.
So, so, so true my friend! LOVED it!
Thanks! You have that joy! I’m inspired by how you keep it with three kids.
Wonderful to read your thoughts – and to see the precious pictures of the little ones – did miss Cody, though – next time? Glad to see that Pig is still a favorite. So Sweet!
I have some of Cody for the next post. He’s hard to photograph, poor kid is always stuck in my armpit 😉
Wow! And again I say…wow! God has so gifted you with perspective and a way to share it.
Glad you liked it! Thanks!
Those pictures of Rory are stunning!!!!!!!!!!!
Great pictures! Perhaps even greater truth.
From one “realist” to another…so true. I have to constantly work on not forcing my reality on other people…oy.
I love what you said about balancing the realism with the joy…and that joy is an internal, not necessarily an external, thing…I have a friend from college who’s been battling cancer with various treatments for years, who was so happy to be at the hospital for her treatment because they had power, and air-conditioning, and WIFI when she didn’t have it at her home because of Sandy…I mean, come on! How can I possibly complain about some little annoyances in my life when she has a heavy dose of reality in her life every single day & still finds joy in so much! I think we all have at least one person like that in our lives that we can learn from.
I understand more and more, the older and hopefully wiser I get, that my level of contentment/happiness depends on me, my perspective and my choices about how I handle things, not on any external factor. It’s just a bit annoying, really, that you’ve figured this out at such a young age. :O)
P.S….LOVE all the photos as usual, but the first one with RoryGirl & Pig is my FAVORITE. <3
Thanks for living in the same boat with me. Us realist need to know we aren’t alone and the occasional “Hey you aren’t that bad…but I will tell you exactly what I think you are.” haha. Love ya!
Yes, count it all JOY!! I love the picture of Rory’s pink boots in the first
picture! You will never regret spending your precious time writing these
and taking the pictures. You can look back and you will be so glad you
did it.
I say, ‘Don’t look back and say you should of, could of, would of,
and didn’t of’; you will be able to say, ‘YOU DID IT’ and to be proud of it.
Awe, thanks Rita, I appreciate that.