joy

Five Things That Bring Me Joy

September 7, 2016 by Michelle Filed Under: Being a Mom, Life 2 Comments

I wrote a paper in college about Joy….though I have no idea of where that paper is…or the Compaq laptop I used to write the paper, I can tell you what Miriam-Webster has to say about Joy:
1joy
noun \ˈjȯi\
Popularity: Top 10% of words
Simple Definition of joy
: a feeling of great happiness
: a source or cause of great happiness : something or someone that gives joy to someone
: success in doing, finding, or getting something

In my mind, joy looks something like this – the look on Eliza Jane’s face the other night at the beach:

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Today’s Blogtember Challenge prompt is to tell y’all about Five Things That Bring Me Joy. So with all this in mind…and thinking about when I am most joyful or genuinely happy…it’s generally because of one or a combination of these:

Jesus. My joy, my deepest joy comes from Him. It comes from being in His presence, from being around others who have a deep love and joy from Him also. There’s just something about Him that brings me immense joy, that oftentimes is indescribable.
Andrew. He makes me laugh like no other. His sense of humor and wit just gives me the giggles and gut-laughs. My heart bursts at times to see him rolling around on the floor with the kids and he often does things that take me by surprise {in a good way!}.
My kids. The laughs. The silly faces. The big, toothy grins. The joy they get from something we think is so small…but is so big for them. The things they say that can be both shocking, hilarious or amazingly precious.
Being outside, playing in the dirt. I love to dig in the dirt and plant flowers. Seeing God’s creation in bloom is huge for me.
Singing. I’m talking about windows down, music blaring, singing at the top of your lungs! Like Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire singing “Free Fallin'”. Y’all know what I’m talkin’ about.

So what brings you the greatest joy?

A Blog About Socks

March 8, 2016 by Michelle Filed Under: Being a Mom, Faith, Life 3 Comments

I love sharing with y’all the real life conversations that are had in the Lucas home. For example…I was running thru this entire blog post in my head tonight as I folded the massive mound of clothes that covered our bed. And as I was coming up with what I thought was a great idea, and grabbed the camera, the peanut gallery walked in. The peanut gallery in this example is none other than the hubs, Andrew. He says to me “Um. Are you writing a blog about….socks?….because that’s weird.”

…………………………………………..

I am even more determined to write a blog about SOCKS now, Burn. 🙂

He has spurred me on toward good things.

So here’s where I was with all of that before the peanut gallery chimed in and made me think twice about my post.

First thing this morning I was reading my devotional from SheReadsTruth – the Lent study. And I was reminded about the Israelites and their grumblings against God. And yet, He provided for them….their every need. And I’ve thought on that all day. How I grumble about stupid stuff…all day long. And yet, He provides for my every need.

Last night at the end of my short post, I encouraged you all to encourage someone today. I had the honor of enjoying coffee with a friend this morning and happy hour with another this evening {that never happens, like ever, y’all.} and I thought about how incredibly blessed I am to have been encouraged by these sweet friends. How, though my friendship tank has been close to the empty line, today’s events took me to overflowing. He provided for that need.

And then tonight, as I walked into our bedroom and saw that massive mound of clothes that needed to be folded, I thought about that first post I wrote about finding joy in the laundry, not grumbling about it, but rather, finding joy in it. And as I sorted things out, this one pile of socks just kept growing and growing and growing. And while socks can seem like the thorn in my flesh → why are there ALWAYS socks MISSING?!, I pondered this little mound. {←notice the adjective went from massive to little…} 008

In the mound are: Andrew’s dress socks to wear to church and a job that he has been incredibly blessed in, especially this year. And athletic socks…for him to wear mostly on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons when we’re having family or play time.

Then there are Reynolds’ socks – our son who, though he is coming into his own “type A” self, has a huge encouraging heart and is crazy protective over his little sister.

Next are Eliza Jane’s socks, the daughter that shocked me with her speedy delivery, serious face and sneaky ways…she will be our trouble-maker or the class-clown…

Then there are my socks, the athletic ones, for which I am thankful to be able to get up so early in the mornings to walk on the treadmill and do those things that get my heart and soul ready for the day.

I pondered all the socks. Without the husband or the kids, there would only be my socks. Without the blessing of his great job, there wouldn’t be so many dress socks. Without the kids, there wouldn’t be the fun, colorful socks that somehow end up everywhere {in the car, under the sofa, in my purse…}. Without all of these amazing blessings, there wouldn’t be any socks. So why grumble about there being so many socks? They are a blessing.

That’s my post on socks…hope you enjoyed it. 🙂

Treasures Hidden In The Darkness

May 21, 2015 by Michelle Filed Under: Life Leave a Comment

I don’t want to continue dwelling on the sadness that has been our life for the past few weeks, and please know that that’s not what this post is about. {We’re not all doom and gloom!!}

But rather this is about the hope that can be found, even in the saddest of days.

I don’t often blast out my faith, and this isn’t that, it’s more of a sharing with you that the darkest of nights and the dreariest of days don’t have to last forever.

Honestly speaking, last week was probably one of the worst weeks I’ve experienced in a really long time. By the time we got to Thursday and the news of our baby, I felt like there was no water left in my body, even to express the tiniest of tears. My reaction was more like, “Are you kidding me? How is this happening?”

But I never asked “What did I do to deserve this?”

I more of just asked Jesus, in the quiet of my own heart, to heal me. Heal the utter and complete brokenness that I was feeling. My heart had been stomped on, and it hurt badly.

You know what that feels like. Some of you have lost friends, parents, grandparents, siblings, pets, relationships {of all kinds!!} and it all hurts. Some more intensely than others, but the pain is real and at times, it can seem like it will never end.

As one who went through a burning fire {not literally} several years ago and spent months in the bathroom floor crying, begging for everything to be over, I know that there IS sunshine after the rain. The hurricanes and tornadoes of life come in and can seemingly destroy everything you know, but, when its all over, the skies are the bluest of blues and the sun shines brightly. There is hope. There are happy days ahead.

I share with you a post that a friend sent me today. She said that when she read this earlier this morning, it made her think of me:

She Reads Truth.

My response to her was this: It’s the crap that you go through that makes you WHO you are, and makes you rest in the arms of Jesus. {A friend would say, “slammed up against Him”}. You are forced to become someone/something, not just to be.

He’s there in the quiet. When all the tears are gone…when there is no water left in your body to cry even one tear. He’s always there.

And once you’ve gone through the fire just once, you always remember that. He never leaves. He never forsakes.

Isaiah 45:3