{finding joy in my everyday life}

I've been struggling with this a little bit. It is so much harder to wake up every day and say "Today I choose joy" and actually put action to those words than to just wake up and get annoyed right away because you slept in too late so now you have to rush to send your husband off to work {who also slept too late...} and the dog wants to go for his morning walk with you but you're too busy making coffee and English muffins and it was sixty degrees in your house and you didn't sleep well because you were up at four in the morning because you've got a baby sleeping on your bladder and...well, you get the picture.

It just seems so hard to me to wake up on the right side of the bed. This morning was especially bad. I think the first things that came out of my mouth were something like a frustrated sigh and "Would you get up? You're gonna be late!" Already my day was looking grumpy... or rather I was looking at my day with a grumpy attitude.

{Side note here...this morning after I prayed and got my attitude adjusted I apologized to Mechanic Man who forgave me and then proceeded to say, "In some ways I think you're cute when you're grumpy." Bless his heart, but that does not help when you're striving not to be a grumpy person. Fine then, I'll just be grumpy all the time, right?}

I think a lot of my problem is the way I start my day. Like this morning, I woke up disappointed. It was my first feeling. I was disappointed in myself, mostly. Why can't I get up on time? I should have already had my shower...Looks like I won't get much done today because I'm so tired I know I'll be laying down for a nap again after breakfast and Quiet Time. Meaning, it could be a few hours before I even start straightening up the house. And why do these naps always turn out so long? I know this pregnancy's not helping with being tired but really, I'm not feeling motivated. It's rainy today and I'm warm in bed and I just want to lay in bed and read.

Am I the only one who beats themself up like this? 

The funny thing is, I woke up with the thought that this was going to be a good day. I really wanted to make it a good day. And I think that's the key. 

You have to really desire to make your day a good one. What's that verse in the Bible? 

{This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.} PSA 118:24

The day is made by the Lord, which means it technically already is good, but it takes your effort to rejoice and be glad in it. 

And it's not like I don't love my life. I love the simplicity of it. I'm enjoying the routines of my days. I like the feeling of accomplishment I feel almost every day in getting at least one thing done, even if it's something as uncomplicated as making fried ham and homemade mac-n-cheese and a big bowl of sweet peas for my family {this may have to do with the fact that I like to feed people...}. 

So maybe that's the secret. Finding joy in the everyday things, and the One Who created the day. I look at today. Already {even though I took a nap again this morning} I've straightened up my home, putting everything in it's proper place. I've swept all the wood or tile floors and shaken out the rugs. I've washed the huge pile of dishes that stacked up last night because the dishes didn't get done before church. And with my leftover dishwater, I cleaned the stove burners and the top of the fridge{which was in sore need of it}.  I've cooked part of a chicken to make chicken pie for supper tonight. I just threw a load of wash in the dryer, so hopefully it'll dry and I can have it folded and put away by the time my man comes home. I caught up the checkbook and cleared away some receipts that have been laying since Monday. And now I'm posting on here {which is long overdue}. I'm pretty sure there were other small things, but I'm looking at this list and feeling pretty satisfied. And I still have another hour til Mechanic Man comes home to do some more. 

I'm feeling pleased. Satisfied. Happy. Maybe even a little bit joyful. This day has been a good one, even if I started it on the wrong side of the bed. I almost can't wait to try and start tomorrow better. 

Because if I start tomorrow better than I did today, then I should have a better day. And what's better than a good day? 

A great one.