Choosing Joy When Life Gets Busy

Well Hello blog! Glad to see you are still here right where I left you. 

It's Whitney and I am ready to jump back into Mommy Rambles. I want to say a million thanks to Brandi for keeping things going on the blog while our family transitioned into another child, a new career and finally to a new home in South Carolina.

I am not sure where to pick up our story but, the blogging bug has bit again and God has begun whispering that it's time to share a little about our journey. I have learned so much from the blogging world and fully believe God can use it for His glory if we allow. My plan for now is just to blog about our story. Even, though I am a private person by nature I do know there are times when God asks us to share our story.

This past year has been so very hard and even writing that seems a big understatement for me. However, it hasn't been without God's blessings. At times I wondered if He had forgotten about our little family. If I only knew then what I know now. He was just faithfully working behind the scenes. Not a moment of this journey was wasted, every struggle was used for His glory and our betterment.

Hopefully you all can follow a long with these rambles and possibly a few rabbit trails. ;)

Shortly after our third baby was born life began to move in fast-forward and it is just now slowing down . . . I think! 2015 was the fastest year of my life and I try not to let mommy guilt get the best of me when I think of my youngest being a year-old already, or that my oldest is 7! I don't feel old enough to have a 7 year-old, but apparently I am! Then there is our middle boy who is 4 and keeps us on our toes with all his whys and hows. 

I love it and I love them and in the midst of the madness and crazy I try and stop and just choose JOY! Motherhood is hard and if you are not careful Bitter Betty can become your middle name and then become your legacy.

This past year God placed certain women in my life. These women were faced with circumstances where they had the choice of becoming bitter or choosing joy. These weren't minor situations they were life altering situations, such as death, loss of a job, loss of dreams, an unplanned child, unplanned move, etc.

At first I didn't realize what all of these important women had in common. I thought they were just driven people, and they are, but what drives them to sucess is JOY. While I was being surrounded by these beautiful joyful women another thing started happening as well. All the bitter people in my life began to fade into the background. I wasn't running into them as much and much to my delight  life became a little less complex and definitely less drama to deal with.

We all have our choices in life and the people in your life matter. The people who you keep company with are where your destiny lies. I fully believe that. As a Christ follower I am called to use wisdom and discernment when choosing whom I spend my time with.

So with all that said, I am asking you and myself . . . who are you surrounding yourself with that makes you bitter and not better? Are you, yourself choosing bitterness? What would happen if we started choosing JOY daily? Would we be better moms, wives, employees, and most importantly would it change our relationship with Christ? I know it has made all the difference in my current situation. 

With God's help I am going to consciously surround myself with people that allow me to be joyful. Life on earth is short in the scope of eternity. We don't have time to be bitter . . . and why should we? We serve a God who created us to enjoy life and I for one plan on doing just that.