Choose Joy!!!!!

Hello my friends!


This past week I went to Curves to workout, and I received an object lesson in "choosing joy."  There were two women working out at the same time and the vast difference in the words that came out of their mouths and the impact of those words definitely spoke to me about the power of "choosing joy."  Both ladies were elderly.  One came in and from the beginning talked about the difficulties of her week, her aches and pains, why she couldn't possibly eat the way she was supposed to, exercise the way she was supposed to...She went on to explain her various ailments and complaints with a kind of "hands in the air" demeanor of surrender to the all the negative, difficult and troublesome in her life.  This I will say:  she still got out there and exercised!  While she was working out, in walked another lady.  She actually made me smile just looking at her. She was wearing a bright pink shirt, a pink hat and pink tennis shoes.  She looked around the room as she began her workout and said to all of us:  "Good morning, ladies!  Isn't good to just get up in the morning!  I am so thankful I can still move!"  There it was, right in front of us...Joy!  I watched as my complaining exercise companion picked up her step and began to feel the joy this woman brought to the room.  By the end of the half hour, the attitude of self-pity had left her and as she walked out the door, one of the coaches encouraged her to keep at it and she'd lose a pound for sure next week. This lady smiled back and said:  "Two!  I'm going for two!"  What a change!  Living a life of joy has incredible power!  That is why I am excited about the book we will be reading throughout the coming months.


This summer we will be reading Choose Joy, by Kay Warren, as our summer blog book.  Choose Joy is available through Amazon for $14.95.  It is a new release so it is only in hardback format right now.  It is also available though Christian Book Distributors (www.christianbook.com) for $14.99 and because it is a new release, I am sure you will be able to find it at any local Bible book store. 


We will be starting Choose Joy on the "Together We Are One Wise Woman" blog 
the first week in June.  Until then I am going to post whatever the Lord gives to me so that we can practice the whole "blogging thing:)"  I know that some of you have had difficulties in posting comments on the blog.  My daughter-in-law, Jennifer, who is an experienced blogger, told me that it takes a little bit of time to get the hang of it.  She said that when she first started following different blogs, she had a difficult and frustrating time trying to post, but she eventually got it and has been able to post on blogs easily ever since.  She suggested for those of you who have not been successful at posting in the past, to start from scratch.  Re-read the "How to Use (and enjoy) This Blog" link on the home page of this blog to the right of this post.  Jen gives clear instructions on how to follow and post comments on this blog.  Please let me know if you are unable to post.  You can email me at motheruvmny@hotmail.com, and we will work it out together even if we have to get a hold of the people at Blogger to find out what we are doing wrong. 


Just for a little teaser, let me give a few of the chapter titles in Choose Joy:  "Seeking a Life of Joy," "Rediscovering Jesus, the Man of Joy," "Nurturing Joy in Yourself," "Nurturing Joy in Others,"Adopting Heaven's  Value System," and "Seeing Joy in all Things."  I am so looking forward to the summer months as we continue to grow in the Lord while learning to "choose joy!"  


Love to you, my friends!


Cherri