Notes on Joy

Something has changed. 

-There is a tangible difference between Happiness and Joy.  For the first time, maybe ever, I am experiencing that.

-Happiness fills you with excitement, anticipation, giddiness, and ...almost hyperactivity, at least for me.

-Joy fills a heart with peace.  I think they are brothers... I think they come together. 

- This joyfilled peace allows you to relax in life, breath, not try so hard or get too preoccupied about controlling things. Then there is something fresh, beautiful, and new. 

-In peacefilled joy, there is no real fear.  Even if things go badly, something changes, or ends, it won't take this joy away.  Somehow it is not totally based on circumstances.  Yes, a mood can change, but peacefilled joy is the experience of standing on a foundation that is beneath you, instead of the building of happiness around you that can quickly crumble when it shakes. 

-I believe I have found a small secret to joy.  Finally.  Contentment.
 
I have always been very good at looking at what I wish I had... I wish I had more friends who get me here... I wish I had more money, so I could be more comfortable... I wish I had a more vibrant community... I wish I had a better place to worship... I wish I had x, y and z...

But in early August of this year, I think something changed.  I sort of stopped wishing, and started accepting.  My life here is not perfect, but it's my life.  I only have one, I only have one change to enjoy this world.  Why am I wasting it wishing?  Accept where I am, who I am, how things are, and chose to live joyfully. 

I think living joyfully can change a situation more effectively than purposefully trying to force a situation to change.

I don't know that the decision to accept was so conscious, but the small changes, the small choices to be the person I know I am supposed to be helped a lot I think. Prayer, positive choices, proactivity, self care, trust, openness, and acceptance are all great and helpful things. 

Contentment probably isn't possible all the time.  There are often things in my life which are not positive, and take away my contentment.  But I have to realize that everything I have in my life, I have chosen to have there.  So if there is something which is making me discontent, I can change that, though sometimes it takes a lot of work. 

But for me it was pretty straight forward.  Accept where I am.  Pray.  Communicate. Love my work.  Love my team.  Love the people around me.  Open my home.  Find creative ways to be generous.  Stop thinking about my "problems".  Focus on all the great things I have.  Work really hard.  Create something beautiful. 

I am joyfull.  I love my life.  It's not perfect, but it's a gift.

I could be giddily happy... with a visit home coming up, work going well, and various other things going on.

But, I'm actually not giddily happy.  I am filled with peace and joy.  And it's going to last.  I don't think it will fade, even in the face of life's circumstances, I will stand, trying to learn to accept all things with joy, every moment as a gift, an opportunity to learn, a new perspective. 



A reason to celebrate... Uganda celebrated 50 years of Independence yesterday and I finished The Ten Principles Expanded (TPX)!   Soooo exciting.  I've been working on this creative, dynamic based program over well over a year, and the first version was finally published today!  It looks great. :)

TPX Ready to change and transform lives!