“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

So, it’s over and done for another four years. That which shall not be named, but which took exorbitant amounts of time and money, has ended. And as we all know, the sun still rose, the earth kept spinning and life has continued. I encourage you to move on.

And here’s why. Life is short, friends. We struggle to make these big, multi-year plans laying out a different future, never knowing if we will even see the end of the day, let alone the next four years. Here today and gone tomorrow, as the saying goes. So, move on – nothing to see here.

But – there is something you should see and do every day. There is joy. And you should find it. As mere humans, we can’t possibly know what the next hour holds – let alone the next day or year. So find your joy. Now. Find that ONE second of joy in each day. No matter how bad your life is, or your situation; no matter what you are going though right now – I GUARANTEE – there is one second of joy to be found.

Look for the color of a late fall flower and enjoy it. Listen for a child’s giggle as you are passing by. Watch for a smile from a stranger – and return it! Hear the sound of raindrops on a roof. Take one second – enjoy that first sip of morning coffee…..or that first breath when you open your eyes, Put on your favorite bright shirt and enjoy how it changes your perspective. Kiss your loved one goodbye every day – one second – to feel the joy of being loved unconditionally. And even if nothing else goes right in your day….you will have had that one second of pure joy to be grateful for.

My all-knowing, all wise and wonderful teenager likes to knock me, frequently – “Mooommmm – you laugh at the dumbest things…..” Yep – guilty as charged. Stupid things make me smile. I laugh at how ridiculous squirrels look when they scurry around. I giggle at the antics on the old black and white comedy shows. Silly slogans, mismatched socks, my husband singing songs from the 70’s – all make me smile as I enjoy the one second of life that I have been given.

You see – people used to tell me – “You’re only given this one day – make the most of it!” Well, I’m telling you right now, I call BS on that one. God doesn’t give us one day. He gives us one second at a time. When we learn to enjoy and value that one, teeny, tiny second – something amazing happens. Our whole perspective changes. When you are actively occupied with seeking joy – those seconds become minutes; minutes become hours….and soon we come to realize that no matter how bad our life seemed before, we can now easily find reasons to be thankful and joyous!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13