Unlike the fleeting treasures offered to us by this world, the love of God, in Jesus, brings to our hearts an unsurpassable grace of joy.
This little girl was born with joy in her heart and a giggle on her lips. My sweet little niece, my name sake, was born in Montana, a long ways from Indiana but my mother and I were there as quickly as we could make airline reservations.
Pammy Jo bounced her way through childhood, talking a mile a minute. And today, she's still bounces with joy. Joy in her husband and three daughters. Joy in her Heavenly Father.
This week I read these four Facebook posts from Pam.
Tuesday: In case you've ever wondered, lakes of fish sauce all over the floor smells disgusting, even long after it has been cleaned up. Just saying.
Wednesday: The weirdest things are happening to me this week. I discovered all the juices and gravy from the meat in my crock pot all over the floor. When I lifted the dish from the base, the entire bottom of the pot remained in the base with my meat nicely piled in the center. Yeah, that's a problem.
Wednesday: Either my kitchen floor didn't get the memo that I prefer to scrub it only on Friday or Saturday (read: Only once a week!) or it is enjoying its 15 minutes of Facebook fame. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, we can now add to the running total of abnormal things on the kitchen floor in the last 24 hours! To the 1 whole bottle of fish sauce and 6 cups or so of meat juices and gravy (due to the bottom literally falling out of the crock pot), I now can add blood (Carli cut her foot), and a whole bowl full of sugar (thanks to Livy diving in too quickly for a bite of PB cookie dough). Do you think I should be a slave to the floor or just ignore it so it doesn't control me?
Wednesday: For all you faithful friends following my mess-filled day, you should know about one last find of mine that was the icing on the cake. Just as we were getting ready to go to choir practice/kid's church tonight, Liv came out with what looked like paint on her arms and shirt. She said she was trying to make the stamp pad wet because it was dry. After I washed her up and sent her to the van, I went to brush my teeth and the bathroom told the story: a bowl full of ink and water (looked like Easter egg dye) on the counter, the counter and sink smeared with watery blue ink, and a blue five-fingered smear on the door jam. I need to go to Training Kids Properly 101 if anyone is offering such a thing.
I'm sure this was more humorous to Auntie than to Pam in the moment, but if you catch the joyous tone in her messages you know that she just lives with her heart full of an unsurpassed grace of joy.
Pam's joy overflows to others, too. For Mother's day she gifted her mother with Ann Voskamp's Joy in a Box. It was presented in a beautiful container. The printables are free -- and a special way to shelter someone you love.
This grace of joy is courageous -- choosing joy in the midst of life.
This grace of joy is from God -- He chose joy for us.
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| Pammy running to Daddy |
Pammy Jo bounced her way through childhood, talking a mile a minute. And today, she's still bounces with joy. Joy in her husband and three daughters. Joy in her Heavenly Father.
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| Directions for Bunting |
This week I read these four Facebook posts from Pam.
Tuesday: In case you've ever wondered, lakes of fish sauce all over the floor smells disgusting, even long after it has been cleaned up. Just saying.
Wednesday: The weirdest things are happening to me this week. I discovered all the juices and gravy from the meat in my crock pot all over the floor. When I lifted the dish from the base, the entire bottom of the pot remained in the base with my meat nicely piled in the center. Yeah, that's a problem.
Wednesday: Either my kitchen floor didn't get the memo that I prefer to scrub it only on Friday or Saturday (read: Only once a week!) or it is enjoying its 15 minutes of Facebook fame. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, we can now add to the running total of abnormal things on the kitchen floor in the last 24 hours! To the 1 whole bottle of fish sauce and 6 cups or so of meat juices and gravy (due to the bottom literally falling out of the crock pot), I now can add blood (Carli cut her foot), and a whole bowl full of sugar (thanks to Livy diving in too quickly for a bite of PB cookie dough). Do you think I should be a slave to the floor or just ignore it so it doesn't control me?
Wednesday: For all you faithful friends following my mess-filled day, you should know about one last find of mine that was the icing on the cake. Just as we were getting ready to go to choir practice/kid's church tonight, Liv came out with what looked like paint on her arms and shirt. She said she was trying to make the stamp pad wet because it was dry. After I washed her up and sent her to the van, I went to brush my teeth and the bathroom told the story: a bowl full of ink and water (looked like Easter egg dye) on the counter, the counter and sink smeared with watery blue ink, and a blue five-fingered smear on the door jam. I need to go to Training Kids Properly 101 if anyone is offering such a thing.
I'm sure this was more humorous to Auntie than to Pam in the moment, but if you catch the joyous tone in her messages you know that she just lives with her heart full of an unsurpassed grace of joy.Pam's joy overflows to others, too. For Mother's day she gifted her mother with Ann Voskamp's Joy in a Box. It was presented in a beautiful container. The printables are free -- and a special way to shelter someone you love.
This grace of joy is contagious -- choosing joy is catching.
This grace of joy is courageous -- choosing joy in the midst of life.
This grace of joy is from God -- He chose joy for us.
You have put joy in my heart
Psalm 4:7
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30 comments:
What a great post about having joy in our hearts :)
Such a nice post.
Cute post about messy floors and joy in our hearts. I will check out the joy box.
Love the first picture especially. Too cute, and touching. Thanks for sharing
Sensible Sarah
XO
Your niece happens to be one of my best friends and I've benefited from her joy on more than one occasion!
What a lovely gift ---- joy in a box! I'll be keeping that one in mind for future use!
Lovely post. Seeing the bright sides of life inspite:) Thanks Pam for sharing!
I share also my thoughts about God's words in my blog: willyouhearfromme.blogspot.com
Especially love the comments on joy at the bottom of the post!
Such a sweet lovely girl ... like her namesake.
Fondly,
Glenda
What a beautiful way to show joy,even in the mishaps of life the joy came through loud and strong, what a blessing.
Joy and (J)enerosity must run in the family's (J)enes!
beautiful - thank you for the peak into your joyful life ;)
Joy in a box....how special. Loved this post!
My grandmother used to wear an apron that said, "Spread Joy" - sounds like your niece does just that.
What a blessing to have joy even when things are not going quite right! It is a gift we should never take for granted! I grew up having joy and gratefulness in my heart until I had a thyroid problem and I did not know what hit me. Suddenly it was as if my whole life was full of mistakes! I quarreled my mom, cried at the least little thing and was always miserable. I kept reciting Philippians 4 and thankfully got out of it. My mom called it my midnight crisis!
Blessings to you Pamela! Patsy from
HeARTworks and
papemelroti
beautiful post....I've recently been thinking that joy is what gives me strength inside...it's so imp. not to let anyone or anything take that joy away...Wishing you a beautiful Sonday....
she had quite a week with the kitchen floor!
Pamela, this was a lovely post and wonderful tribute.
A cute read today, Pamela. Have a blessed week ahead.
I like your niece already. And that Joy in a Box idea?? I'll be ordering one shortly!
The joy of the Lord is my strength. To find joy in a mess and to be able to laugh about it is truly a walk in the Spirit. I am certain that God smiles at us sometimes in our mess and has joy in His heart over us.
A beautiful testimony and a reminder that joy is a choice we each need to make every day regardless of our circumstances.
Wow, she needs a Calgon take me away moment! The life of a mama...
Thanks for your sweet comment about the little white church where everyone calls you Pammy. It made me smile.
Wow, she needs a Calgon take me away moment! The life of a mama...
Thanks for your sweet comment about the little white church where everyone calls you Pammy. It made me smile.
And I see you finding such joy in your niece. :-) I got to see four of my nieces yesterday, and I have such great joy to know they all love the Lord. It's truly the greatest joy they can give us.
Enjoyed reading this so much! My pen has been silent too long...almost a month now since I've written a blog post...but I seem void of words right now. Hate it when that happens!
God bless you!
Marilyn
Love the quote from Richard Foster. So thankful for the joy He puts in our hearts and for the people we share it with. Blessings!
Hi Pamela! Thanks for visiting my blog. God bless your mom, I don't think I could get myself together with a clean house and home cooked dinner by 4pm everyday,ha! That's funny you mentioned greeting your dad everyday, that is one of my husband's favorite things. Glad you kept the values, I am working on keeping them too:) Have a great day!:)
what a lovely post...you are spreading joy!
Lovely post! Your blog is spreading joy!
Wonderful post! We all have "weeks like that" and it's so refreshing to read on someone who accepts it for it is: one of those things that will not steal joy!
Thanks for sharing.
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