I CHOOSE TO . . .

GUEST POST:


THE SECRET TO A JOYFUL LIFE.


Anyone who knows me knows that I am joyful most of the time. Have you seen the movie "Patch Adams?" I also could probably be accused of "excessive happiness." I wasn’t always like this. When I was younger, I struggled with many dark feelings, and I even considered suicide a couple of times. I also have to deal with quite a bit of pain in my body every day of my life. I mention this lest you think I live in a perfect world where joy comes easily

I have learned that the secret to a joyful life is about making good choices. I am going to share some of my secrets here. No charge! How about that! Sometimes I have to struggle to "get there," but this is where I choose to live.

1. I choose to see the best in people. (Unless they, or the Holy Spirit show me otherwise.)

2. I choose to have compassion on people when I see their faults and shortcomings. I choose mercy.

3. I choose not to be offended. I choose to forgive. I choose to say I am sorry when I know I am wrong. I choose to take the lower place.

4. I choose to let God’s word show me how to live. I choose to trust in the truth of God’s word. I choose to focus on His promises. I choose to believe every word!

5. I choose not to gossip or to listen to gossip.

6. I choose not to spend any more time than necessary around negative people.

7. I choose not to concentrate on the pain and the problems, but on the One who has promised to give me His grace, and strength to be an overcomer.

8. I choose not to obsess over my mistakes, but to learn from them, to get up, dust myself off and keep going.

9. I choose to be a giver. I choose to invest my time, what finances I have, my care and my love in other people.

10. I choose to be a listener and an encourager.

11. I choose to take care of myself. I see no point in running my body into the ground.

12. I choose to love God and myself. Then I can love others.

13. I choose to keep the time I spend venting, complaining and whining to a minimum. It wouldn’t be honest to say I never do it, but I choose not to "live there."

14. I choose not to dwell on the past or let its mistakes ruin my future.

15. I choose to spend time with God each day.

16. I choose to edify myself with good music, good activities, good company, good thoughts, and good confessions.

17. I choose to find pleasure and beauty in simple things and not always be longing for what I can’t have.

18. I choose to dream big, to set goals and work to achieve them.

19. I choose to have integrity and to be faithful – to God, my husband, my family, my friends and my call.

20. I choose not to blame others for my problems. I choose to be responsible.

I choose JOY! What do YOU choose?

-- Mae Jones. used by permission.