Monday, April 8, 2013

Daily Hallelujahs

      Someone made a comment to me recently about how unreal my life is, joking that I don't seem to have any responsibility. It was all in good fun. But it just made me think...we can all have a life that looks like that. I make a sincere effort to do something fun or social or life-giving almost each day. I get worried that my life will go down hill when I am married or have kids and I won't have time for fun or spontaneity. But, I choose to believe that won't be the case. I will still be the same me, I will just have a husband to drag along or tell my daily stories to. Or, I will open my kids' eyes to do something joyous each day. 
      I am able to stay a usually positive person because of 2 reasons. One of them might just be an innate quality. I don't let something that brought me down earlier today, bring me down tonight. I can hear bad news and still find a reason to laugh the next day. I can have a bad morning but that doesn't need to determine the rest of my day. Of course I process things and feel sorrow and don't live in denial...but I just can't live a life of despair or whining or self-pity or negativity. I am thankful for that quality in myself. 
      The second reason is, as I alluded to, I intentionally put things in my daily life to look forward to. If you can have something, anything, each day that gets you a little excited then that is good. No matter how big or small. 
-Could be your job. Your daily work is meaningful and wonderful to you. 
-Could be an aspect of your job. Maybe you don't get excited about your line of work but you love your co-workers/customers/students/clients etc. Remind yourself of that. 
-Could be getting donuts with a friend the next morning that doesn't get you stressed out the night before. 
-Could be a sunny forecast that gets you anticipating the day. 
-Could be your evening shower and the prospect of being clean and fresh. 
I'm TELLIN YA it can be anything! 
      Find a reason to look forward to each day. Change the course of your bad day. Drive by the ocean or country side on your way home. Decide to make your favorite dinner/dessert. Indulge in a couple chapters of pleasure reading. Sing at the top of your lungs in the car/kitchen/shower. Whatever! 
      Now, this all sounds a little selfish. And I haven't even mentioned the Lord, which makes me nervous. But, I think God is proud of my joy and positivity. By living in a place of freedom, outside of my circumstances, it makes me alive. And when I am alive I can't wait to tell people the TRUE reason I am alive...JESUS!

      Anyway, tomorrow may be gray and I gotta get up early and my students drive me nuts and my gas level is on empty BUT it's opening day for the Padres and I'm gonna let that piece of good news outshine the rest! And, Thursday I don't feel prepared with my lessons, and I have a list of 10 things I gotta get done before the end of the week and the amount in my bank account is frighteningly low BUT I am getting coffee with a friend I haven't seen in 2 weeks and she is a joy to be with so that will outshine the rest. I have something to look forward to. 

Find a reason to say HALLELUJAH every day!


p.s. in case of low supply of hallelujahs consult Bible for countless reasons to exclaim

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