Choosing Joy

Do you find that there are times in your life that you are just really focused on working at something? Specifically, changing your thinking? Well, I have noticed lately that I am working on choosing joy and thankfulness. No pat on the back here...it wasn't a conscious thought. I don't have a 1,000 gifts journal going...yet. I'm certain this is just a prompting of the Holy Spirit as He works in my life. Often I am finding humor or thankfulness in the little parts of my day that I'd typically get upset about. Although it is a serious thought and I am thankful for this work in my life, today, here is where I found some joy.

While focusing on my older kids in the post-school-coming-in-the-door craziness, it escaped me that Tessa-girl disappeared upstairs and was playing in the bathroom. What I found was:

- roughly 100 Kleenex in the toilet
- 1/4 of the NEW toothpaste tube squeezed into the sink
- the handsoap dispenser emptied onto her little hands
- a drinking cup going between the toilet and sink with water...not exactly sure which direction though.

Typically, this would result in me yelling. Yep...yelling at my 3yo. By grace I didn't, and today I am thankful:

- She hadn't used the bathroom BEFORE putting Kleenex in the toilet.
- She didn't try to flush the toilet and clog it up.
- The toothpaste was limited to the sink, hadn't dried yet, and could easily be cleaned up.
- We have more soap.
- The drinking cup can easily be washed, and had not been spilled all over the floor while traversing between the toilet and sink.

I realize this is nothing. No big deal. In the day to day happenings of a household, sometimes these little things add up and unnerve the mama. Today that didn't happen. Thankful.