the trail less traveled: I choose joy

Our world today is pretty crazy! With the Coronavirus/Covid 19, quarantining, shelter in place, job loss and general hysteria, it's easy to be depressed and anxious. With Papawizzy and I starting our "Adventure" during these times, we have decided to operate under the Serenity Prayer:

Lord grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the Courage to change the things I can,

and the Wisdom to know the difference.

It's kinda amazing how this can change our outlook in difficult times and circumstances! If we don't look for happiness, but instead choose joy, we will have growth and victory in this time. Life may not look like we expected, but if we trust the Lord, it will look like His plan instead of ours! And we know that according to Jeremiah 29:11-14, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive", He has good plans for us! This was written by Jeremiah to the captives taken away to Babylon and held for 70 years! In the verses preceding verse 11, while they were being held captive in Babylon the Lord says to build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters . . . And seek peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

What this says to me is that the Lord has us in the palm of His hand. He will not leave us or forsake us. If we trust Him, we can walk in the confidence that we can choose joy no matter what our circumstances! So we will celebrate birthdays, eat tailgate or curb sitting meals, have fun facials and see what the Lord will do!