Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

Search Results for: label/JOY

Finding joy even when life changes

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Way back at the beginning of the year, many bloggers chose one word to be their focus for the year, like a resolution. Mine has been JOY.

It’s a tiny word, but it’s a mighty word. God has used it to teach me and encourage me this year. Who knew three letters strung together could change my perspective?

I love this quote about joy from Kay Warren:

“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things.”

Joy can change my perspective because joy is a choice. While circumstances change, the foundation of joy that only God can give doesn’t waiver, even when life’s seasons change. {And speaking of changes … our baby Rachel Elizabeth was born Saturday, Sept. 19! I’m excited to share more of her sweet adoption story soon. Stay tuned!}

 I know this #choosingJOY idea isn’t new to many my blog readers, but I’m excited to share more about it at Circles of Faith today. I’d love for you to join me there! 

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Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

Three Word Wednesday :: Joy & Sadness {thoughts on “Inside Out”}

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Photo from Disney.com.

The kids and I went to see “Inside Out” on rainy Friday night. I decided to take them after a busy week because we like seeing movies in the theater, but I’m picky about which ones I let them see.

I didn’t expect to spend the movie reflecting on my one word for the year. {Read more JOY posts.}

Joy is actually the name of one of the characters. There’s also Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear. They help make 11-year-old Riley’s memories, feelings, thoughts, and personality.

The movie has adventure as Joy and Sadness try to get back to Headquarters. (Get it? HEADquarters …) There’s also story lines about friendship, family and change. The ultimate message was probably a little lost on 5-year-old Ben, but 8-year-old Cate understood it.

She summed it up when she whispered to me toward the end: “Joy is still there with Sadness.”

Joy spends most of the movie trying to make all Riley’s memories happy. But happiness is fleeting; joy is lasting. That’s what Sadness teaches Joy – and that’s what I’ve been learning the last few years.

Sadness – and the other emotions – has a place in life, but it doesn’t define our lives. No 11-year-old girl who loves hockey is going to be 100% thrilled to move her life from Minnesota to San Francisco (like the movie plot). Substitute whatever sadness you’ve experienced. I thought about people I miss, words I wished I said and the ones I should have kept inside, friendships that have changed, and the birth moms who have built our family while experiencing sadness of their own.

In the vault of my memories, some would be blue, signifying sadness, but there is still joy. This world has death, grief, sickness, conflict, and fractured relationships. But through it all joy can remain.

From the inside out, we can be changed when we choose joy. {Tweet that.}

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And speaking of #choosingJOY, here are some joys from my ongoing list :: 304. Reading first thing in the morning. 305. Yard sales on Friday! 306. … And 20-cent chapter books for Cate. 307. Grilling out three nights in a row. … 310. My kids are using the plastic lids from their popcorn chicken containers from Walmart’s deli as boats in the bathtub. Whatever works. … 312. Good mail on a day I’ve been feeling melancholy. … 314. The four of us hanging out at the lake. 315. Missing my two best local friends while they’re both out of town – so grateful for these friends and the way we do life together. 316. Home study visit done and it went well! 317. People in the community being excited for our adoption with us. … 319. Hot afternoons at the pool. 320. Playing Settlers of Catan until after midnight at the lake. 321. Having a party at the lake house even though we still aren’t “done” getting it together. 322. Shelter Point Retreat! A name for the lake house! 323. Watching Cate at horse riding lessons. 324. Cate’s excitement about church camp. …329. Soda tasting.

 I’d love for my #ThreeWordWednesday friends – and any friends! – to join me in sharing joys on social media by using #choosingJOY. Instagram is my favorite place to share, but I’m on Facebook and Twitter too.
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Learn more about “Inside Out” at its website, Focus on the Family’s Plugged In, and IMDb.com.

I’m also linking up with Mary Carver for Works for Me Wednesday because (surprise!) kids’ movies can work for me. 

Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

Joy to the World (Vol. 3)

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Happy weekend, friends!

Today I’ve officially known Greg half of my life. We met 17 years ago through a mutual acquaintance and then went on a date the next week, on Valentine’s Day. Ah, how romantic! I suppose, but, really it was about logistics of going on a date the next Saturday. It was my freshman year of college people, I wasn’t looking for marriage. My how time flies … and most of it’s been fun! 

Life with Greg also been a bunch of real life that looks nothing like I expected. I mean that in a nice way. Really, that’s the theme of my life … 

We had a little blimp in our normal routine this weekend when both kids came home from school at lunchtime Wednesday with fevers. Cate also complained of her throat and stomach hurting, so I ended up taking them to the pediatricians’ office to get swabbed for strep. Positive!

This was Ben’s fifth strep diagnosis since late April 2014 and third since Christmas. It’s Cate’s second time in less than a month. Talking about health and medicine always prompts a good Facebook thread … 

But they’re better now. Hopefully for good. Or at least the rest of this winter.

Meanwhile, I’ve been posting things I’m loving over at Instagram, so I’d love to have you connect with me there. Here are some snapshots of #choosingJOY the past couple of weeks ::

1. “Experiencing Joy” by Jeannie Cunnion :: Joy seems to be a theme on the internet right now. At first I thought, well, isn’t my focus this year cliche? And then I realized it just means there are that many more resources out there. Like this article.

“What produces JOY is first remembering the good news of God’s grace and then letting it flow through us to one another.” {Jeannie Cunnion}

2. Extra! Extra! board game :: Even though I haven’t played this game yet, it’s making my list. Here’s the back story: Greg and I have played Settlers of Catan regularly with our best friends since February 2007. In May 2007, we started an perpetual scoreboard that we still tally wins. We sit in the same order around the table.

I haven’t been wanting a new game. I’m still happily addicted to Settlers of Catan, but then I read about this one. By the makers of Settlers! Before I was a mom, I was a reporter. So, yeah, this game seems perfect for me.

3. Road trips with friends that involve stops at good restaurants and our favorite college basketball team :: This has happened once with our friends the Gachokas. And it’s happening again today and next Saturday. I love basketball season. And my friends.

4. Sharing my story at other websites :: Yesterday I has posts at both places I regularly contribute – God-sized Dreams website and Circles of Faith. The GSD post is about marriage and how I’ve known Greg half my life {officially, today is 17 years!} and at COF I’m sharing another excerpt from my book that talks about how God hears the desires of our heart. I’d love for you to join me at both places.

5. Reading a new cookbook like a novel :: I’ve been lacking meal planning inspiration. So I resubscribed to eMeals and ordered a new cookbook, recommended by my friend Kayse Pratt. I spent an hour Thursday reading “Dashing Dish” by Katie Farrell.

6. From my #choosingJOY list on my iPhone :: 63. Walking in the morning. 64. My time with Ben during the day and him saying, “We have a busy day, you and me.” … 67. LeeAnn Willet bringing me JOY stickers at a Racers game. 68. A meal with so few carbs {tilapia, green beans, salad, blackberries} I barely have to take insulin.

How have you been #choosingJOY lately? {Tweet that.}

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Read other JOY-related posts and Joy to the World (Vol. 1) and (Vol. 2).

 Want more stories? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”