Keeping Our Joy Thru the Seasons of Life - Part 1

Life, like the weather, has its seasons. Some seasons are bright and sunny. And others can be dark and gloomy. If we want to keep our peace and our joy, and keep moving forward towards our destiny, we must learn how to navigate these seasons like a captain navigates his ship through choppy waters, because we know that eventually - "this too shall pass".

Smooth sailing is a time to study, to grow and to learn. Stephen Covey calls this "sharpening the sword". Tough times are when our faith is tested and we get to put it into action. Today I'm sharing on how to stay joyful during the seasons of life even when everything looks dreary and we may not be moving forward as quickly as we would like. 

If we want to be consistently joyful, we have to choose what we focus on. It is a matter of conscious decision, not a matter of our circumstances. As human beings, we have the tendency to focus on the negative - the finances, the broken relationships, the health issues, our aging bodies, etc. When we focus on the negatives, naturally we get down and depressed. This is why the apostle Paul exhorts us to:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Phil 4:8). 

We have to take responsibility for our thought life. 

When we are young, we think we have all the time in the world. We have our health and lots of energy, but we lack one thing - money. We need to get out there, get a job, earn an income. Money becomes our main focus. 

Then, we get the job. We get married, have kids and enter the "rat race" as some call it. We have the money. We have the energy, but with all the responsibilities, we lack the time to do things we like to do. We are always on the go and no time to relax and smell the roses. Not enough time becomes our main worry. 

And then we enter into "the golden years". My mom quipped recently about the term, saying she didn't feel like they were so golden. She said she felt like they were more like copper or nickel. As we age, we develop health issues. We work our entire lives to be financially secure so we have the money. When we retire, we have all the time in the world, but - we lack the energy! 

Life will never be perfect. Life, like relationships, has its seasons, the ups and downs, the peaks and valleys. If we want to stay joyful, we must choose to focus on the good things in our lives. Despite health concerns, I am focusing on the fact I am free from the 9 to 5. Despite the dreary weather, I focus on the fact that I can cook good meals and be creative with this blog. Despite family issues, I focus on God's great love for me and how he works everything for our good. Abraham Lincoln once said "People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." and he is right. We make our own happiness. We should not depend on other people or circumstances to give us joy.  

So there you have my perspective on how to stay joyful during the seasons of life. If you enjoyed this post, do sign up to receive my bi-weekly emails by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll also receive my free eguide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Stay tuned for more postive and practical wisdom to help us all ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

Smell the Roses

It's a brand new year and it feels like it's off to the races already. It wasn't even January 1st and folks were posting their New Year's resolutions on Facebook.  My publisher was ringing my phone trying to get me to focus on marketing for Lent when I was focused on Christmas. Social media, smart phones, and the relentless advance of time and technology presses us to keep up, move faster, and get more done.

I, for one, protest.

As a single parent, for years, I moved at the speed of light, you might say. Every minute was packed with things to do and places to go. I ran myself ragged trying to do it all.  I prided myself on being able to multi-task. Until, one day, I ran myself into the ground. 

My kids saw it coming.
"Smell the roses, Ma," my youngest would warn.

When we reviewed my to do list, a wise young one asked "I don't see play time on here anywhere."

Out of the mouth of babes, right?

I knew it was time for a major shift in perspective and behavior. You know how they say "Father knows best"? Well, our heavenly Father does know best and he knows how to slow us down. Physical ailments, migraines, and over-strained muscles are our body's way of telling us something needs to change. But do we listen?

When was the last time you really savored a meal, took a relaxing, hot bubble bath or sat down in your favorite chair to read a good book? If you're raising kids, when did you last make them a home-cooked meal? Read them a good book? Or take time to play a game? If you're single, how many nights a week are you out of the house? Do you wake up every morning tired? Do you have time to exercise and keep in shape?

I may be in the minority and that's okay. But I have learned: God's pace is S L O W and His voice is quiet. When I slow down enough to hear that still small voice, I gain clarity on my priorities. When I am more motivated to do the will of God than the fear of getting so much done, I accomplish what really matters to the heart of my Lord.

It is a trade off.  I may not be up with the latest news, Hollywood gossip, electronics or sports teams. To be honest, I am more interested in hearing what God wants to whisper to me than what the world is trying to shout. My mother likes to kid me by saying "Oh yeah, I remember. You don't watch television." It's kind of a joke around our family now.

So, what do you think about the pace of life? Are you moving at the speed of light these days? If so, are you really enjoying life?  I know I still struggle with going against the rushing tide. What do you do to slow down and smell the roses? Until next time, keep the faith and keep looking up!