Life is a Celebration – Still….

It seems that the world is filled with evil, sadness, anger, confusion, fear and many other negative emotions and activities. If we dwell on these things and live in this place we will be defeated and depressed. Not to mention scared.   But I have also caught glimpses of joy and beauty and love and compassion and more than enough blessing to encourage celebration.  To encourage gratitude.  To spur hope.
And…we get to choose.  We can give into the negative emotions and news and happenings or we can choose to focus on all that is still good in this world.  As long as He still reigns and lives among us, there is still cause for celebration.  And HE does still live in the hearts of his followers.
Some may define me as in denial or living in my own little bubble but I want to love this life and I want to invent special occasions just because.  A total diet of hate and fear and worry can lead to a slow emotional and spiritual death.  Even a physical one.  Stress is not our friend.  Stress causes sickness, disease and eventually death.
It’s not that I don’t take the problems of this world seriously – I totally do! BUT I cannot live under that dark shadow every minute of every day before I start to become of no use to anyone. Before parts of me start to die off.  Once we start living defeated lives we are part of the problem not part of the solution.  I want to be part of the solution and in my own way, that means recognizing all there is to be grateful for.
I want to sing at the top of my lungs.  I want to water the flowers and smell the roses.  I want to dress nicely and wear luscious colors.  I want to create beautiful things.  I want to make people feel special.  I want to bake a sumptuous loaf of bread or a fresh apple pie and share it with others. I’m looking for an excuse to blow up some balloons and turn on some mini lights and light a candle.  I want my heart to skip a beat when I see beauty.  When I feel the warm sun on my face.  When I hear the rain outside my window.  When I listen to the sway of the trees in the wind at night.  When I drive through the mountains.  When I hear a baby giggle.  When I listen to grandma reminisce about the good old days.
I want to find ways to create joy and bring hope to those who have lost their way.  I must fight to avoid this myself.  How am I going to do that?  I am going to celebrate every day.  I am going to be grateful.  I am going to dance – even if just in my heart.  I am going to fill myself with truth.  I am going to store up treasures in heaven.  I am going to walk with Him.  I am going to seek His wisdom and His joy and His peace and try to pass it around.  I am going to ask Him to fill me with compassion for others and I am going to celebrate daily.  Even if it’s just one small thing.  One small happy dance. One small celebration at a time.