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Category Archives: Joy

Put Your Heart Into It!

05 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Choices, Discipline, Dreams, Happiness, Inspiration, Joy

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Discipline, enthusiasm, Passion

When the heart isn’t into something, it shows! When was the last time you slogged through the day, bereft of any joy and contentment because you had to do something you didn’t want to do or be somewhere you didn’t want to be? Perhaps the last time was yesterday or even earlier today. Perhaps it seems like all the time now!   c0dc4a24f9217c7a154769742cd8b19d

It’s our challenge to not let days, then weeks and entire lifetimes go by with such attitudes. Our heart is the source of our passion. An idea, a belief or a dream may seed first in our thoughts, but the birthplace of our inspiration and our instigation for achieving things is always in our hearts! We don’t get inspired by logical processes or plans laid out methodically in our brains. We get inspired by a light in our soul burning brightly and constantly in our hearts once we begin to nurture that seed. It is what fuels our energy to overcome the doldrums and the blues we may feel as we pursue our dreams and live our lives. If we fail to stoke the fire, the very furnace of our soul’s energy, we will become nothing more than the walking dead. And so it matters to put your heart into most everything you do and to take that enthusiasm and passion with you most everywhere you go!  dis

If you shut out the very source of your passion from your life by focusing on the negative of it all, you are choosing to shut out the ultimate source of your happiness and contentment! Yes it is difficult to carry your passions afire, to keep your heart in things which don’t seem to really be all that exciting or enjoyable. Many things in life just aren’t all that enjoyable or exciting. Our daily lives are filled with things which fall under the classification of boring, dull, monotonous and downright objectionable as a result of their routine nature. But onward we must go and through it all we must persist. If it is all leading us to a destination which promises something much greater, bigger, more rewarding and more pleasurable, then why wouldn’t we? All too often we let the endeavor dictate to us our level of enthusiasm and passion. But we should be taking our enthusiasm and passion with us into our endeavors at a level which honors our hope for the result! Discipline is the price we are willing to pay now for the reward which is coming later! And with our hearts afire, our passions burning, our inspiration keenly focused on some point ahead, we can with discipline and determination choose to make even the most tedious, boring, routine and objectionable parts of life matter!  Signature02

My Joy Is Not Conditional . .

06 Monday Jul 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Choices, Contentment, Faith, Joy, Positivity

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Faithfulness, God, Joy, Peace of Mind

It feels great to consider the possibilities of a new day joyful, even though there are many unexpected moments and uncertainties ahead. My joy is not conditional. It won’t come or go, untethered, as if adrift in some wind’s changeable currents. Joy is a state of being, a decision of one’s soul and spirit. It is not really changeable, unless the soul or spirit renounces it in favor of unease, negativity, misery and inner unrest. bible-quote

Joy comes from living contentedly, at peace and in faithful rest by purposeful choice in God and His will. Joy isn’t the same as momentary happiness, it goes so much deeper than that! Real joy dwells within the emotions and temperament of a determined and disciplined soul; and thus is tied to the self-control of emotions and the attitudes consistent within. No outer influence can take your joy, unless and until you cede your joy from within as a result. Things happen which take our happiness for a time and even bring us great sadness; but joy is a rebounding state within, whereby the soul refuses to don the gown of misery, negativity, faithlessness or hardness forever as a result.  bible-verses-4

Joy is the soul’s chosen acceptance of life’s bounty, beauty and blessings, in spite of moments of unhappiness and periods of great sadness! Being joyful is to keep one’s heart focused on the very blessings of life and the promises of God with faith, hope and a sense of calm; concentrating on what is positive and uplifting rather than to hold onto what saddens, breaks or strips from us our hope. Joy belongs to the over-comer; who with faithful expectancy and hope, sees each new day as a priceless gift regardless what is looming, what actually happens or what may yet come! Consider this new day joyful, for that is your choice!  Signature02

Some Will Never Grasp . .

02 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Choices, Contentment, God, Hope, Joy, Peace, Positivity, Uncategorized

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Faith, God, Hope, Love

Some will never grasp how much beauty and joy there is in life. They’ve made up their minds that because they don’t live in a bigger house or have all they want or make more money or realize all their dreams or . . well, they just find endless ways or one reason to write all their life off as failed, terrible, rejected, horrible, miserable or worthless. No matter the beauty around them, the love of others, the gift of one more day or the bounty of life’s miracles played out each second, they’ve decided to view all of life as negative. Perhaps they’ve endured tremendous things which took their joy. But in letting their joy lapse every day since, they’ve given their power over to others or to situations or to circumstances which negate their contentment, joy and peace of mind for the rest of their life! If I tried to convince them that there were blessings all around them, joy in precious moments, gifts of time and breath, or a bounty of life they’ve chosen to waste, they simply would not believe me easily or readily. They’ve made up their mind, this life sucks!    96022541

Unfortunately, they would miss seeing the examples of others whom I have witnessed. Perhaps they have not taken notice of those souls, pressed with possible peril or up against unbelievable odds themselves, who are determined to be joyful in spite! Possibly they refuse to notice for themselves the very nature of life’s daily persistence; how it pulls us into each new moment we’re given whether we like it or not! How I pray daily that every soul could experience such a sense and awareness of life’s preciousness and meaning; as well as the very worth of each person, every creature, each bounty of abundance or the infinite blessings in every single day. Unfortunately, some people have made up their minds that this life wasn’t bountiful enough. Sadly, they’ve chosen to believe nothing is a real blessing, not even their own beating heart. Tragically, they don’t respect or value their own infinite worth, much less believing that about others. All of their life is lumped into the negative overall mindset they have created for themselves or experienced. Maybe it takes God’s hands and His will upon our lives to realize our own failings in that regard; for that would be my explanation as to why I see everything as I do. It would be my response as to why I refuse to give into life’s overwhelming negativity and the daily chaos which threatens my peace of mind and my positive spirit.  I am not sure even then that some souls will ever understand the true value, meaning and purpose for their lives, if they refuse to let God be a part of theirs. I only know that without an understanding as to what love truly is, from Whom it comes, people feel dejected, adrift and lost more often than not. Life becomes increasingly meaningless when there is nothing of meaning to enrich it. God is my tether in calms seas and storms! He gives my life its meaning! 306528_10150979705179939_409182314_n

Without sensing a purpose greater than themselves for being, life itself must seem tragic, cruel, hopeless, fatiguing or brutal at times. God gives my life such infinite sense of worth, purpose, hope and love; like a big safety net around my soul, He gives me beauty for my chaos, a will to not cave in and a hopeful desire in His promises to faithfully expect what awaits me beyond this breaking world. Some may think me foolish for believing as I do; but if they believe THIS is all there is to life, only the chaos and madness of this world, I would believe them the fools! Comparing and contrasting the mayhem, failings and futility of humanity to the promises of God is always going to leave humanity lacking. And so we have a glaring perspective on what is happening in the world right now. Humanity is failing more and more the further it extricates itself from God! Souls are perishing in the futile void created by human will without hope, faith and an understanding of their value in life or God’s will for their lives. A life with God is not going to be trouble-free or seem idyllic. In fact, there will be challenges as a believer which often can make things seem harder! But His love, promises and the hope which He instills offsets the challenges, difficulties, trials and failures; washing over the faithful, restoring and renewing their souls and spirits. How sad for those who miss the chance to have contentment, joy and peace of mind in this life as well; in knowing God and His love!  Signature02

Cleanup, Maintenance and Restoration . .

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Choices, Contentment, Discipline, Joy, Maturity

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Faith, Hope, Joy, Perseverance

A little rain, a lot of rumbling . . after last week’s monsoon, the one last night seemed a wee bit gentler and efficient. It was just progressively darkening skies, which promised rain and finally delivered with thunderous claps; there were no huge dust storms carried in by disturbing wind gusts. No more tree branches came down and not much debris was scattered.  I hope it washed away some of the remaining mess from the last storm last week, which just blew a lot of stuff into new places!  article-2011713-0CE2031700000578-751_964x626

Earlier yesterday afternoon I had warned my friend Joe, while he cleaned my pool, that there were storms hovering nearby. He looked all around the sky for proof, not really all that convinced. In jest he told me that once he cleans all the pools for that particular day in Summertime, during our monsoon season, he goes home and shuts the windows and shades in his house to effectively shut out the fact that a storm might come and eradicate all that day’s hard work out in the heat and humidity! It would have been hard to silence last night’s storms in that way, booming with such resonance! I hope he was successful though. I’m sure that it is frustrating to have cleaned all those pools yesterday, only to have a storm roll through and mess them up anew.  1394793942827

But isn’t that life’s real conundrum for us all in some way . . our real lack of control as mere mortal human beings in setting circumstances and keeping them just as we want them, neatly, tidily and ideally?? Each day we take what comes, giving everything our best for that day in hopeful planning, reaction and response. We must loosen or release our hold and our sense of control on most everything but our emotions; and faithfully, we must learn to wait to see what comes next in life. Rarely do things go entirely as we had planned or envisioned in our minds eye. Clean up, maintenance and restoration is not just left to those who clean pools in Phoenix during monsoon season. It’s just a part of life we must all come to expect and to tolerate! Most of the time, because we can only control what comes from within us . . . we must learn how to adapt, to alter and to amend our plans when life doesn’t play out as we planned. If we want to enjoy our lives overall, we must not let the unexpected and unplanned stuff which happens that is out of our control overwhelm us or impact us for too long. We must resolve ourselves to cleanup, maintenance and restoration each new day.  Signature02

Rolling With the Changes . .

02 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Change, Choices, Conquering Fear, Contentment, Courage, Growing, Joy, Lessons

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Acceptance, Change, Maturity

I’m rolling with the changes . . otherwise the brakes of resistance I try to apply wear out from fighting against the natural state of things. Life is ever-changing and though we might believe ourselves easily rocked by all the change we experience, we are only able to truly grow and develop when we’re forced out of our comfort zones. Change is life!  Persistence-and-Determination

We begin as babies incapable of fending for ourselves or appraising our own course; were we not to change, we wouldn’t even understand that we had life! So why does it often become harder to accept all the change of life by the middle or perceived end? I suppose it is our awareness having awakened us to the realities of life’s abruptness and unfiltered truths. Life can seem so hard once we understand loss, brevity, failure, fear, doubt, worry, anxiety, lack, need, and all the emotions which push upon our souls. But at the same time, life is supposed to have prepared us each step of the way for exactly what comes next, known or unknown. We should know by now that we’re not invincible, infallible and that our time is not infinite here on earth; but we should also believe ourselves successful at having made it this far!  Socrates-Quote-on-Change

We’ve learned, grown, developed, overcome, strengthened our minds, bodies and spirits for the journey yet to come! Why then be reticent when changes happen? Without change there can be no actual growth or development in us or around us, in which we might take great pleasure in having mastered another life skill or challenge! Life wouldn’t be much at all were we to remain as we once were. If we keep applying the brakes to our life as it changes around us – hiding or diverting from the changes we fear, dread or imagine – we risk stalling, crashing or disabling our own lives in the process. In the end, life is really the sum of all that we met and overcame in pursuit of some level of contentment, inner peace and joy within our souls! We should welcome the changes as new tests and testimonies for having stood tall and strong in this life!  

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The Heart Decides . .

11 Monday May 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Celebration, Choices, Gratitude, Joy, Positivity

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Appreciation, Gratitude, Love

A calendar may designate a date, but the heart decides how often, why and when we’ll celebrate each one of our blessings! The heart needn’t stick to the calendar when it comes to showing our gratitude for all of our “gifts” past and present; or in honoring others who’ve brought such joy, love and pleasure to our lives.   DSC00166

A birthday, an anniversary, a remembrance, or a day set aside for special consideration are on the calendar usually once a year; but every day in between can be an equally important reminder of why we consider those earmarked days so significant! It’s the love and gratitude which fills our hearts and minds that dictates the meaning and significance of something or someone, not just a date set aside. And it only takes a change of circumstance to teach us the real meaning of a date on a calendar after all.

I only really learned to honor Father’s Day when the actual day set aside for that no longer applied to me in the same regard; when I could no longer have my day of celebration with him or give him gifts, the calendar day no longer meant a thing to me without him physically present. In fact the holiday caused me some pain for the loss of him for several years after his passing, watching others celebrate with their dads in ways I could no longer with mine. Now Father’s Day for me is every day I can spend time remembering him, it’s not just one day a year in which I am grateful or filled with memories or a sense of loss.   birthday-flowers-greetings

The human heart decides the meaning of our days, not a calendar. That is just a physical tool which serves to remind us of the meaning we already understand and appreciate from within. May all those people and reasons for which we find a day worthy of celebration know first how much gratitude and love we have for them every day, not just that one we’ve earmarked so conveniently or blatantly upon the annual calendar!  Signature02

Savor This Day . .

09 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Choices, Contentment, Joy, Peace

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Contentment, Gratitude, Peace of Mind

 

 

 

 

I’m savoring the cool mornings we have right now . . windows open, birds chirping and the first rays of that sun rising to greet the day. It’s a bit of perfection, this time of year, this season. I know to be appreciative because it will soon enough change to something different. And although different doesn’t necessarily mean worse or in some way lesser quality, I want to be present in this moment because it cannot remain this way; this day will never come again, nothing is promised besides now.  th8LMLQURJ

I looked at all the peaches forming on my peach tree; each blossom once dotting the branches now becoming a small, forming fruit out of the beautiful, soft pink eruption of Spring’s first days. Although the blossoms had time to shine, now it is time for the fruit to prevail. In every thing there is purpose no matter longevity or brevity; in every day there is possibility and the opportunity to form something from the nothing of its dawning. There is growth and change from what once was to what now is. And so it is again with this day, my chance to seize upon this near-perfect start by making what is to come something as blessed as this moment right now!  thZ6KM4MMC

I believe it will be up to me as to how this day is played out and remembered. If I want this idyllic start to continue throughout the unknown day ahead, I better keep within me the attitude and appreciation which first enabled me to recognize the moment as it happened and then to be grateful for it! My attitude about this day shall direct my overall assertions about this day when all is said and done. I’m learning to take time in my day to realize how special the day and how blessed the moments, each unique, each precious and each serving a purpose in my journey.

Signature02

Constant Spring . .

08 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Christianity, Contentment, Faithfulness, Joy, Peace

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Attitude, Contentment, Peace of Mind

Every day of Spring is a new taste of beauty, nature, something unfolding after a period of closure and even near death. Winter is brutal, life seems to struggle to a silent demise or into a quiet surrender. The harsh climate of Winter is like the season of a person’s life in which death is near. But then comes Spring again! And with that new season, we are reminded that all is not lost and neither are we!  Lamb-sheep-30710619-1280-853

Spring wakens the lifeless, breathes hope back into the quiet and cold; it is the season of life which harkens to our need as human beings for continued faith and hope. In Spring, we can see life unfold anew, we feel warmth upon our skin again. We notice buds promising new leaves, new flowers, new growth and more reason to hope. In every creature newborn into the world each Spring, we can imagine how persistent life is regardless how near our own Autumn or Winter we are in life; and we see life overcoming our own fear about life ending. With Spring unfolding eagerly around us, we forget that life is dimming, dulling or lapsing. All we notice with Spring is the way in which life refuses to cede to death! And that is the message of God’s promise through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, at Easter-time, in Spring.  homeguides_articles_thumbs_10_best_plants_to_grow_in_winter_cover_jpg_600x275_q85_crop

He came so that we might know God; but He also came so that we might be with God eternally! That was His purpose in facing Crucifixion upon the Cross. He took our sin for all time so that we might live eternally with God. In Him, therefore, we have reasons every single day to await life; regardless the season and our condition! We might be overwhelmed, sickly, breaking down or facing turmoil; but when we realize we have seen God’s promises fulfilled through Christ having overcome death on the Cross, we can have faith and hope to live life regardless! Our hope and faith, like God’s grace, is new each day! We needn’t feel depleted or without our source of faith and hope in Christ because He overcame, and so shall we! So instead of feeling so low, wounded, broken or disturbed by life, we can take great comfort in the constant state of God’s promises to us. We are living a constant Spring every single day because no matter what comes of life, no matter the season, we have eternal life just because we believe! And in that eternal Spring we’re promised, we should sense as much if not more joy, contentment and peace as we do in each day of each yearly Spring we experience!  Signature02

April Fool’s Day . . A Prayer For the World

01 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Choices, Contentment, Faithfulness, Goodness, Happiness, Joy, Kindness, Life

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Contentedness, Joy, Peace

 

On April Fool’s I look for things purposefully foolish; those things which aren’t real and haven’t any meaning but in the way they surprise me or make me laugh. Sadly, there are just too many things these days which I realize are far too enduringly foolish, foolhardy, vexing or problematic in life and of the world; enough things and situations I wish were just tricks or ruses meant for this day which persist with some longevity and purpose! some-beautfull-life-saying-quotes_Inspiration-Quotes-of-life-16

 

Wouldn’t it be nice to have this day be filled with nothing but just silliness, well-meaning pranks, loads of laughter and a lot of “Just kidding!” in the world?? Wouldn’t it be lovely to see the world so filled with joyousness and contentedness from within each heart, that a lot of manmade suffering would cease for the sake of wanting just to be actually “laughing out loud” instead? And were it the case that such joy and contentedness could prevail all over the world, I would personally want to declare each and every day, Fool’s Day! (Even for the pranks I might endure, in spite of the jokes which shock or surprise me!) bible-verses-4

 

I would delight in a world more intent on laughter and lightheartedness, rather than one inflamed by ongoing discord, hatred or anger! My prayer is that God so fill people with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, gentleness and self-control from within that it becomes almost impossible to find anyone so centered on themselves or their own course of opposition! (Galatians 5: 22-23) And that even with our individual suffering, we might know lasting peace and contentment within us, so as to have our steadfast joy be assured in life; our happiness not forever tied or tethered to the changing emotional tides, events or to circumstances beyond our control. And how I pray for us all to awaken to how very precious and treasured this life is, for our own sakes and for that of the world as a whole; may we know God’s enduring love for each of us, His faithfulness and promises to us are not passing jokes or whims. May we learn to rest in His peace, contentedly and with our joyful hearts expectant and faithful in Him!   Signature02

Enjoying God’s Gifts . .

29 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Contentment, God, Gratitude, Joy

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God, Gratitude, Joy

Imagine how much joy we bring to God by taking pleasure in His world around us! Just imagine His joy when we stop to notice the smiling face of a stranger, or when we delight in petting a friendly cat or dog; imagine when we stop to smell those proverbial flowers in bloom and lay upon the cool grass, taking notice of the hue of the blue sky as well as the shapes of all the clouds passing through it!  

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We don’t do enough each day by way of our thoughts, words, behaviors and actions to let our heart’s fullness of gratitude and immense love reflect back into the world towards our fellow man, other creatures, nature and especially, to God.  How busy we are in this world which gives us plenty of reasons to do anything but; how distracted we are from the simple pleasures and blessings. If only we thought about how much love and gratitude we offer to God when we take some time to notice all that He has given us, all that He has done for us, all the ways in which we are blessed and all the manner of life which He created just for our pleasure. If only we noticed how much He loves us! And if the love of God pours through us towards others, God must beam with fatherly pride for His children, with such loving hearts!   images04WXGQII

 

 

I get so much from those moments, that I’ve learned to savor them even more; but it gives me even more joy in knowing when I do that I am showing God a measure of gratitude and joy each and every time! Gratitude isn’t just shown in our words, our purposeful words of thanks; but our gratitude, joy and love is best reflected by our efforts to partake of those gifts which we’ve received and to share them with the world!      Signature02

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