On a previous episode of “A Spud’s Journey to Happiness”…….a Joy Journal was mentioned. (To be read in your best TV announcer voice…..) In today’s episode we explore said journal….
🙂
Did anyone else grow up with this Vacation Bible School song?
“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.
Where?
Down in my heart.
Where?
Down in my heart.
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Down in my heart to stay.”
And it goes on from there…..
Anyway…I thought I’d post a slightly edited version of my joy journal/joy list here for y’all to see.
Why?
Well…. because I’m highly self centered and assume y’all are dying of curiosity.
Snort! Just kidding! 😉
I was talking with a friend about Jim’s challenge to create a joy list and his nudge to get me to committ to a specific number of items I’d put on the list. When I told my friend (we’ll call her Rachel) I’d said I would committ to 100 items she gasped!
“I was thinking about something closer to seven!” exclaimed Rachel.
“Rachel, we’ve GOT to talk!” said this potato.
When I started talking to Rachel about what I had on my list she realized she had a whole lot more than seven items she could put on her own joy list. So somehow sharing my joy list helped her expand her own.
And my hope for posting mine here (other than having a permanent record that won’t be lost when my laptop crashes), is that it might help y’all add to your personal joy list. Or remember things you’d forgotten about that brought (and bring) you moments of joy.
Enjoy! 🙂
1. Lola’s!!!
2. Michael Mina dinner (1st time)
3. Strip Steak bar food
4. Restaurant Charlie’s
5. Cheap pizza & breadstick @ food court (and conversation)
6. Bouchon
7. Foie Gras @ Fleur de Lys
8. Wine flight at NC
9. Hiking in NC
10. Monte Cristo lunch & mountain top views NC
11. Waterfalls in NC
12. Solo Maine trip/visit
13. Light house tour in Maine
14. Lobster on the Maine beach w/Maine friends
15. Maine with Mr. Spuds
16. Bar Harbor w/Maine friends—Sunrise at Cadillac Mt.
17. Ocean hike w/Mr. Spuds (ME)
18. Popovers & lobster bisque lunch (ME)
19. Walking across the bar (ME)
20. Misty lake hike
21. Singing on the granite cliffs (ME)
22. Sea gull eating sea urchin next to a puddle (ME)
23. Duck from NC (quacking in the parking lot)
24. Working out w/Ellen
25. Rosendales!!
26. Spinel @ Bill’s (first purchase)
27. “Firework” spinel ring
28. Finally owning the tanzanite
29. Talking w/Bill & Annabelle
30. Free trip to Disney J
31. Lunch at Canada restaurant at EPCOT
32. Niagara on the Lake (all visits)
33. Feeding blue jays
34. HR4US
35. St. Louis US trip
36. Chihuly @ St. Louis gardens
37. Docent-ing @ Columbus Zoo
38. Penguins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
39. St. Louis Zoo (behind the scenes, penguin keepers)
40. Cincinnati Zoo (Little Blues)
41. Newport Aquarium (behind the scenes, penguin keeper)
42. Baltimore- National Aquarium
43. Cleveland & Akron zoo tour trip J
44. Tiffany, Lalique, etc. exhibit
45. NOLA w/ US
46. Vendor “whoring” (Don’t ask!! LOL!)
47. Dinner @NOLA Emeril’s restaurant (w/Julia, Roz, etc.)
48. San Diego SHRM trip
49. Dinner in San Diego w/Nancy
50. Solo travels (NOLA, San Diego, Maine, Nashville, Chicago, Pittsburgh)
51. LCC
52. Worship w/Kevin King
53. Worship nights at DCC
54. Woodmont Hills church
55. Mr. Spuds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
56. The Doctor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
57. Moments of feeling grace
58. Moments when things (God) “click”
59. Conversations w/God
60. Feeling safe, feeling peace
61. Snow crystals in the air
62. Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens (just checking!)
63. Theater! (Sound of Music- R. Chamberlin)
64. Phantom
65. 12 Angry Men (R. Thomas, G. Wendt)
66. Big River (sign language version)
67. Books……Amazon……Kindle
68. Life of Pi
69. Good Reads
70. Conversations w/Ken regarding books
71. Unexpected encouragement/positive feedback
72. Sherlock Holmes
73. 2007 & 2008 SRL
74. Dr. Who
75. Wedding & honeymoon & marriage
76. Finally “getting” algebra (DLU)
77. Amnesty International (DLU)
78. Lexus
79. Sunny & Moe (& Tim’s generosity)
80. Lunch (the goldfish)
81. Bird watching @ home
82. Bird watching@ the zoo
83. Polar bear playing @ the zoo
84. Realizing Clark really did forgive me
85. Spring—every single year!
86. Crocus
87. Gardening
88. Discovering new plants
89. Seeing the same plants 1 year later on Paul James’ TV show
90. Realizing I have a voice
91. Buying our home
92. Anonymous giving (giving in general)
93. Dropping a pant size/losing weight
94. Mulching!!!
95. Creating our “found” stone dry creekbed
96. Hearing what God wants me to hear
97. Monet paintings in St. Louis…..wow….
98. Seeing Gus Hansen on my b-day
99. Being able to help someone
100. Research
101. Being recognized (& greeted by name) at Nong’s
102. Meeting Doris Kerns Goodwin (& being brave)
103. NOMI dinner w/Kiwi
104. Meeting Nancy in NOLA
105. Trip to Indy for pancakes
106. Trip to Indiana for Steak & Shake w/Mr. Spuds
107. Safe travels
108. Watson’s arrival….finally!!!
109. Meeting Matt & his family
110. Dayton trip- book signing for Mr. Spuds
111. Snuggling
112. ***censored*** J
113. Writing
114. Feeding birds- home, Morel’s, Bellagio
115. Hot tea @ Bellagio poolside on a cool morning & reading
116. Nature
117. Learning
118. Rachel Maddow getting her own show
119. Zoya’s gift of a necklace
120. Really great hair cuts
121. Successful book recommendations to others
122. Mycroft!
123. Pure politics/pure government
124. “a-ha” moments when reading the Bible
125. Kitty…..even if she did kill a blue jay
Maybe I shoulda said 200…?! 🙂
You’ve inspired me. I’m going to start my own list.