Lesson 2. Rejoice in Your Heavenly Father"Don't Forget to Have Fun!!!"
As bad as those doctor's visits can be, there is something amazing about how short Journey's memory is. She can be in the middle of a downright rough day, and then I can come along and make that certain funny face (kinda like a horse making a swooshy sound) and she will fall into a big smile or uncontrollable laughter. Sure, Journey can have a bad day, but she has not yet learned how to put all of the worry and stress upon herself like we grown-ups are SO GOOD at!!!! She can usually pause in the middle of whatever is going on and have a good laugh. Wow, what a skill! How did we let this skill slip from our grasps as we got older?!?!?!
The bible says in Proverbs 17:22 that "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones". That is not me or Journey talking, but wisdom from God. Think about what medicine does for a minute, it heals you from an ailment. What ailment are you currently afflicted with? Is it stress, worry, sickness, faithlessness, lack of patience, or maybe you are have something else? Good medicine for your situation can be found cultivating a joyful heart. Have you had a good laugh lately? It is still OK for you to laugh isn't it? Having joy is a choice you have to make, the only alternative is to have a broken spirit. It's kind of like having a defeated attitude, and the bible tells us that it will dry up our bones, or literally make them rot or brittle, so that our bones cannot support our bodies and help us to function and get around like we are supposed to. If we have a defeated attitude our situation, our day, or even our life can be rendered completely ineffective.
Finally, on one last note, I want to share one last note about my daughter's joy. Not everyone can make her rejoice like her daddy can! Trust me, others have tried to make the same faces and sounds like I make, but to no avail, they get no laughter, no smile, no nothing! Her joy is not random, it is directed and derived from a certain person, her father. As we seek to cultivate a joyful heart, we must realize that the only way we can have true joy is if we find our joy in our Heavenly Father. He is someone who takes care of us, comforts us, loves us, provides for us, blesses us, teaches us, and guides us. Why not find joy in that? Even right now a little smile might hit your face when you think about how good He is to you. Just as Paul continually wrote to the Philippians, Rejoice in the Lord! Think for a minute, when was the last time you had a good wholesome laugh or a huge smile on your face. Go back to that place and time in your mind, and try to remember what brought that joy to you. Take note of it, and do whatever you can to try to cultivate a refreshing and joyful heart daily. It will help you, kind of like medicine!
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