Joys Abound

Day two of finding joys, and I find that they are surprisingly easy to spot, despite the various difficulties in my life.

9) Renewing hope for the future, as I read the testimonies shared through the blogs of faithful Christian women, testimonies that remind me that God is always there and through him, my future is always bright.

 10) Watching Gilmore Girls episode Love, War, and Snow from season 1. Love me some Gilmore Girls, especially the ones about snow.

 11) I love the sleep button on my TV remote. Courtesy of the ex-hubs, I now fall asleep to the TV.  Thanks to my lovely sleep button, I can make it so the TV turns off on its own and doesn't wake me up right before I fall into deeper sleep. Almost every night, I say out loud how much I love that button.

12) I took one of the suggestions from Rachel Olsen's blog on preparing for Christmas, and relaxed in a bath while listening to Christmas carols. It was super relaxing and peaceful.

13) Specifically, I really enjoyed listening to Christmas Offering from Casting Crowns. It really helped me to think about the meaning of Christmas, the birth of my Savior.

14) I also rediscovered on of my favorite Christmas songs from my childhood, Picture A Christmas. I forgot how much I loved that song.

15)  I loved finding a comment on my blog, and knowing I am sharing this journey with other bloggers to find 100 joys. Thanks again, Sarah, for this wonderful challenge!

16) Courtesy of my commenter, from the blog It is A Beautiful Ride, I listened a little more carefully to the Lady Antebellum song, Hello World. I really do love those lyrics:
Hello world
How’ve you been?
Good to see you, my old friend
Sometimes I feel as cold as steel
And broken like I’m never going to heal
I see a light
A little grace, a little faith unfurled
Hello world

I really identify with feeling as cold as steel, and like I'm never gonna heal, but this song gives me hope. 

17) This one comes from tooling around on YouTube. I love this parody of the Old Spice commercial from Sesame Street: Smell Like A Monster. It just puts a big smile on my face.

18) And the final joy for today's blog is watching Prep and Landing on ABC Family with my mom, who just loves it. And I do too. :)

So, 10 days til Christmas. I may finish this by then, maybe by the New Year, but it is definitely making my Christmas season merrier.  

More Joys

I feel a little silly posting twice in one day, but I want to continue adding joys to my list, before I forget them. I will try to keep it down to one post per day after today.  


3) The little gingerbread village my family tried to put together. It's a little sad and pathetic, but it was fun to do it together. 


4) I added a few things to my Christmas decorations collection today, and put out my little Christmas village on my dresser. I LOVE Christmas.


5) Watching It's A Wonderful Life with my family. 


6) Making chocolate chip cookies for my family, enough to fill the cookie jar :)


7) My mom told me tonight me how grateful she is to have me here this Christmas, and thankful for all the effort I am putting into making Christmas a little more special this year, especially for my brothers. Hearing her say that helps me feel like I'm going in the right direction, even when life still feels a little wrong. 


 8)The last one for the night is the post-it message of the day from Operation Beautiful: "Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think!" Operation Beautiful is this wonderful site with the mission of changing the way women see themselves by posting notes around in public places. I love that. I feel like I have healthy self-image, but I know sometimes I think too negatively. I always feel uplifted after visiting the site. 

Joy

So I just stumbled onto Sarah Markley's challenge to find a hundred joys. I need this challenge right now. This divorce (long, ugly process that it is) is all ups and downs. Right now I'm kinda down, I feel my heart hardening again. So instead of letting myself dwell on all that is hard in my life, cuz it is just hard sometimes, I want to focus on finding joy.  The first one I'm gonna borrow from Sarah.
1) The scripture she shared on the second day warmed my heart. Scripture always does bring me the most joy and peace. It was Psalm 51:8  , Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  I love the scriptures, and the Psalms are always so beautiful. 


2) is a little more superficial. But I love my new boots and red scarf and red beret.  I just love feeling cute! I wish I had a good camera so I could show you. Maybe I will have my stepmom take a picture this weekend and I will edit it in. 


Here's to finding 98 more joys! 

Painful Nostalgia

I miss the sweet way my ex was affectionate: our MWUAHs, being his baby girl; I know I will find something better. But all I wanted was him. Really truly. But he turned out to not be reliable, not someone I could count on to, spend the rest of my life with. Oh how it hurts sometimes. :( Its getting better, but oh baby I miss our sweet, sweet beginnings....

I Don't Understand

 I've been thinking, as much as I try not to, over the last couple of days about how my ex just gave up.  Marriage is about commitment, but he just didn't try to make it work. I gave it everything; I keep reading about how marriage is bigger than just being together, its a covenant, commitment, and you work at it because part of what you promised was that walking away wasn't an option after making such serious promises. I'm really a little burned now. Trust is gonna come slow next time...I hate this, I hate that I wanted to be married ONCE, and that it didn't last, that it feels like I failed, even though we've both acknowledged I'm not at fault. I hate hurting, I hate reliving it all in my mind. *sigh*

A New Life

So I am on my own again. Currently I'm living with my wonderful mother (moms are truly angels!). I am still trying to believe in happily ever now, it just looks a little different now. I still have so much to be grateful for in my life, and so much to give. I am continually blessed with incredible friends, opportunities to serve, and chances to grow. I am hoping to get a little better at this blogging thing, and using it as a place to share my thoughts and insights, my blessings and joys in life.

Behold God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2, 2 Nephi 22:2)

Rejoice!

My husband and I are working things out! I am so thrilled. It is all I have been praying for, and many of my friends as well. Our God is truly a great God, and he does answer our prayers. :D

So to celebrate and strengthen this wonderful endeavor, I am going to participate in Women Living Well's Completing Him Challenge - Be the woman your man needs.

This weeks challenge is simple- announce that I am doing it! I like that- intention is the first step. I am intent on strengthening my marriage- stating my goal makes it more real. I am so glad my husband had a change of heart. I am so proud of him. I even bought a shirt to wear the first time we get to see each other when I fly home from school next week. The shirt is from the Union28 store, and says My Husband Rocks. And he does, for giving our marriage a second chance! Ooh, and a THREE DOLLAR pair of spanking new jeans!

So stay tuned in for how I learn to "complete" my awesome man!