Choosing Joy

I'm back from the rose-filled city of Guadalajara, Mexico. I loved it - every part. I wouldn't mind making that a yearly tradition. Who knows - perhaps someday I'll live in that fair land of tacos, quesadillas, and the best teriyaki chicken on the whole northern American continent (or that I've tried.) Here are a few pictures of the occasion.

It was so lovely. I'll have happy memories as I work through another school year.

I was listening to my brother relay his frustrations about his busy schedule this year. I empathize. He's probably busier than I was when I was a junior in high school. But as we were walking to the tennis courts this evening - he apologized for his outburst. I told him, that he can't really control his situation, but he can control his attitude.

I thought it was pretty good advice. And I still do. Advice that I need to follow.

There are so many thing I could grumble about, many things that I could be stressed about, many things that I could worry about. But really, I can't change too many things about my situation. I still need to pay x amount for school. I still have x number of papers that need typed for my portfolio. I can only work x number of hours in a week. My body cannot live without sleep. I can't just look some guy up in the phone book and ask him to marry me and take care of me the rest of my life. So many things are out of my control. Yet one thing is not. My attitude. I can either do my best with a smile on my face, or I can gripe and complain and let my situations flood in and drown me.

So, I'm choosing joy. I'm choosing contentment. I'm choosing to do my best and allow God to take care of me. For better or worse. For richer or poor. I'm in His hands - happily.

Choosing joy.