photo by stukinha
Guest Post by Amanda from Trent Tribe Refreshment Company
I once heard a story about two brothers who set out to dig a deep hole in their backyard. “What are you doing?” some older boys asked.
“We are digging a hole through the earth!” the brothers replied.
The older boys laughed. Digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible.
After a few moments, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders, worms, and other treasures. “Even if we don’t dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!”
The moral of the story: It is in the digging that life is lived.
In our journey towards debt-free living, how many times do we say, “I’ll be happy when I’m debt-free?” “I’ll be happy when the emergency fund is fully-funded.” or “I’ll be happy when the mortgage is paid off.”
We’re distracted by crisis. We all face frustration, boredom, pain. But joy is a choice.
By recognizing the positives in my life, I feel joy. Celebrating the everyday blessings is a deliberate action. It’s a purposeful mindset which transforms my life.
Blessings are all around us; they are just waiting to be noticed. We can choose to dwell on the difficulties or we can look for the joy.
I still have problems. I still have inconveniences and discomforts. However, I am allowing them to be less important, less significant by choosing to acknowledge the wonderful things in my life. I am practicing praise and attempting to do away with complaining.
There is joy in the journey.
Amanda Trent blogs at Trent Tribe Refreshment Company. There she posts about loving her husband, mothering/homeschooling her four children, clipping coupons, seeking God, and finding encouragement along the way.
Great reminder!! It has been often that I lose my focus on what is important. You never know what is going to happen tomorrow; so, I strive to relish every day that I have here with my precious family!
Thank you! I needed that too! Funny…we’re working on that emergency $$$ stash right now too…LONG way to go! Can I get permission from you to reprint your article in our Mother’s of Preschoolers newsletter next year? I think it would be an encouragement to a lot of other moms too!
I’m in the process of trying to work my way out of the workplace and back home. (Hubby is home with our daughter right now.) I keep thinking that I’ll be happier once I achieve that goal. But you’re so right…. I’ve started to focus more on the day-by-day things that make me smile. It’s not about living life striving for a goal that’s down the road (though goals are good). It’s about enjoying the joys of every day. Thanks for the reminder!
thank you. I needed that.
You hit the nail on the head!!! Thank you for this post!!
Superb. And exactly the reason I frequently visit your blog….to make better, smarter, more frugal decisions. You are a blessing!
I can never be reminded of this enough. Thanks!
Thank you…I really needed this reminder today.
What u wrote is so special to me and my principles in life.The trips are short and when we reach that place they feel even shorter,but the fun and enjoyment we feel in the drives or the rides and the planning that goes into it are oh! so worth it.For us ,young people to realize this so early on is a sign our generation is finally getting it right on the money ,for all that matters in life .Or should I say what memories are really made of !
Have you heard the song “Joy in the Journey” by Michael Card? I love it, and it goes along well with the thoughts in this post 🙂
AWESOME! A great reminder Amanda and just what I needed to remember today. Thanks for writing this!
I agree with you completely. If I waited for my life to be perfect before I enjoyed it, I would never be happy. But I am happy. And despite all the problems, life is good.