Perspective

Wow, it’s been a while.

Over the last week, I have thought of blogging every day. However, no day was particularly joyful at all. Each day was filled with frustration, inconvenience, and tears. There were a million reasons to say the week was NOT joyful: Mike left (a week ago today), a cashier yelled at me, a school district shot me down, the wedding planning intensified, and my great-aunt died.

All week I really asked God to show me the joy in the week. I even tried to sit down and turn something in to joy, but every time I failed. Then, yesterday, I realized that God didn’t want me to write about one thing. He doesn’t want me to find the joy of one good thing from the week. He wants me to see the joy in the WHOLE week.

I returned to last Friday, the day Mike moved. I made it through a normal day at school. I was getting upset on my way home, when Mom called. Out of the blue she asked if I would like to drive to Natchez and meet her for dinner. A family member was in the hospital there, and she was going to be visiting. Isn’t it sweet how God’s timing just makes everything ok?

Saturday, I was able to spend the day shopping for bridesmaids’ dresses and tanning with some bridesmaids. That night, I got to celebrate a good friend’s birthday. On Tuesday, I found a caterer for the wedding. On Wednesday, I found the perfect last-day activity for my third graders. Yesterday, my wedding gown came in, and today I got a glimmer of hope from Neshaminy School District in PA.

It is so easy to focus on all of the frustration that led to each of those things. That’s just not how it should be. As Christians, we must find the joy of the Lord in our lives daily. It is this joy that sets us apart from those who do not know our Savior. After a week of pity parties, I have decided that I’m going to strap on God’s joy like a wetsuit and get through the next week one day at a time.

What will I miss about Louisiana: fluer de lis and manners.

I will miss seeing the symbol of Louisiana all over the place. I will miss the heritage it designates and the culture it represents. I will also really miss “yes ma’am” and “no sir.” I just think this is something kids should say to adults. Adults in Louisiana don’t even say it all the time anymore. I hope I can handle a lifetime of little Yankees saying “yep.”