Find Your Joy in Today

 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him…”

— Romans 15:13 (NLT)

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Today I watched a reel where parents kept saying:

“I can’t wait until they’re older…”
“I can’t wait until this stage is over…”

And I swear I felt personally attacked. 😅
I mean — yes, I might have occasionally said “I can’t wait until someone can buckle their OWN car seat”… but overall, I knew those years would fly by faster than my kids avoiding my phone calls today.

Now, as an empty nester, I see it so clearly: every season held joy, even when I was too tired, too stressed, or surviving off a lukewarm Diet Coke fountain pop because that was basically my personality at the time.

But back then, I didn’t always see the treasure in the chaos.
I was just trying to keep everyone alive and somewhat clean.

If I could go back, I wouldn’t change the kids.
I’d change me.

I’d slow down more.
I’d stop worrying about having a “perfect” house (spoiler alert: it never existed).
I’d pause long enough to appreciate the moments I now stalk on Facebook memories at 2 a.m.

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✨ Don’t Postpone Joy

Somewhere along the way, we start postponing joy without even realizing it.
We tell ourselves:

“When life settles down…”
“When the kids are older…”
“When this crazy season is over…”

Well… here I am at 57, life is “settled,” and guess what?
I’m now googling, “Why don’t my adult children call me?” and wondering what to do with all this quiet.
(Pretty sure even my dogs avoid me some days.)

But joy doesn’t live in the “when.”
Joy lives in the now — even the imperfect, messy, unfiltered now.

Don’t postpone joy.
Don’t wait for the next phase.
Don’t assume joy will magically appear when your schedule clears, the laundry is caught up, or the house stops echoing.

Joy is already tucked inside the moments we’re living:
the small conversations, the tiny blessings, the moments that feel ordinary until they’re gone.

One day, these moments become the ones we’d give anything to relive.

So today — wherever you are in your motherhood journey — pause.
Look around.
Find one second of joy, even if it’s just a quiet car ride or the fact that no one spilled anything… yet.

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Now, in this season of rediscovery — college at 57, rebuilding faith, and remembering who I am outside of being “Mom!” shouted from across the house — God is gently reminding me:

Joy lives in today.
Joy lives where He placed me.
Joy lives in noticing the small things… even when the small things now are just dogs snoring and a dishwasher that isn’t full for once.

Whatever stage you’re in — newborn chaos, teenage drama, college transitions, or the quiet of an empty nest — you are living a moment you will someday miss.

Let it teach you.
Let it bless you.
Let it show you joy.

And if all else fails… laugh.
It helps.
A lot. 😄

Thank you for reading — may joy find you in every season.
— Kerri

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