Funny Thing About Joy. . .

“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” ~Marianne Williamson

I continue to give thanks... Linking over at  "Multitude on Mondays".  
1,505 - Ordering takeout pizza for a late night dinner!
1,506 - Talking on the phone with my mom.

(I said last week that I would post the pictures of my granddaughter's volleyball game, we attended.)

 "Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life." 

-William Congreve

It had been many years since I attended a school volleyall game. It brought back some good (and some not-so-good) memories of my school days, playing volleyball. She is in the bottom right of the picture, below.

She only played a short time, but enough for me to get these pictures. My favorite moment was when she spiked the ball over the net(below) and scored for the team!!

1,507 - Getting extra hours at work to help with costs for our son's college/being able to visit him. 
1,508 - A beautiful weekend on the lake and catching 76 fish in one day!!
1,509 -  The love and special attention my dogs give me every day when I come home from work or town.

 "One reason a dog is such a comfort when you're
feeling blue - he doesn't try to find out why."

 "Dogs bring companionship and joy to any family."

   

A man finds joy in giving an apt reply-- and how good is a timely word!  Proverbs 15:23

Every day, it seems like God is showing me something new to learn about joy and gratitude. I've had to learn the hard way, sometimes these simple, but true facts about joy:

1,510 - Joy and love cannot be truly experienced without having each in one's life. They go together.

• "A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love." -Mother Theresa  

1,511 - A little joy goes a long ways.

• "One joy scatters a hundred grieves." -Chinese Proverb 

1,512 - Thankful that I'm learning to continue to choose joy in my life, in spite of hardships and hurts.

• "Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."
  --Henri Nouwen  

1,513 - I can stay focused on the positive and good that comes into my life.

•  When we lose perspective in life, we also lose joy. 

1,514 - The Lord has been showing me where I can find joy, even when everything else may be dark and dismal. 

• Joy is found where you least expect it.

1,515 - Only through Christ is true joy found!

• It starts with a “J” and ends in “us”.                        
  ::Jesus::  
•   Jesus is our joy, in this life and the next. But Jesus too is our guide in finding joy. His life is map to finding real and (ever) lasting happiness.

1,516 - Joy...like love... is something to be shared.

• The more you grab joy for yourself, the more you lose it, the more you give it away, the more it comes to you.

1,517 - Love this small framed plaque my friend gave me for my birthday awhile back.

• "The funny thing about joy..."

Also linking over to these blog hops:
Heart Reflected Blog Hop
Sunday Stillness (He Cares For You)
Weekend Brew (My Freshly Brewed Life) 
 Soli Deo Gloria Party (Finding Heaven)
 Sharing His Beauty (Beauty In His Grip)
Titus2sdays (Time-Warp Wife)
UNITE (Rich Faith Rising)
Gratituesday (Heavenly Homemakers)
Winsome Wednesday(My Daily Walk in His Grace)  
Watchful Wednesdays (He Cares For You) 
 Word-Filled Wednesday (Woman to Woman)  
Thankful Thursday (Divas With A Purpose) 
Tell Me a True Story Blog Hop