J.O.Y.

We've been having a few rough days around here; the fun and adrenalin of the move have worn off, we've been running errands, and we are all tired. We are all feeling the need to get back into a routine, but still have quite a bit of work ahead of us. We needed to be reminded of J.O.Y.

Jesus, Others, then Yourselves..... J.O.Y.

We talked about glorifying God and keeping his commandments; about God's grace through Jesus and needing the Holy Spirit to work in us. We talked about ways we can be showing love to others, and how some behaviors we have been seeing the past days (quite a bit) have not been loving. We talked about where we get the J.O.Y. rule.... God's word; specifically Matthew 22 36-39.

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself.'

I sat the kids down at our school table and they colored a banner for us to hang on a wall and be reminded of this.

No, the irony of one of the kids coloring in "yourself" darker than "Jesus" or "others" was not lost on me.

When life gets busy it is easy for us to forget this (or even when life is not busy), when we forget life gets even harder. Sometimes the most important thing we can do as moms is to set all of the "important" things aside and refocus our children on what is most important... To bring J.O.Y. back into our homes!