Where Southern Charm, Faith, Friendship, and Front Porch Living Come Together.
Choosing Joy
Have you ever met those people who seem to brighten the world everywhere they go? They are genuine rays of sunshine, no matter where you find them. I've always admired people like that because the truth is, they have problems just like the rest of us. They aren't living perfect lives—they've simply made the choice to embrace joy instead of letting sorrow and pain define them.
And that's exactly what it is...a choice.
Every single morning when we wake up, we get to choose the attitude we're going to carry into the day.
I'd love to tell you I choose joy every day, but I don't like to lie. So let me be honest with you.
Most days, I choose happiness. I do my very best to spread smiles, laughter, encouragement, and positivity wherever I go. But there are other days when simply getting out of bed feels like climbing a mountain.
You know as well as I do that no one has a perfect day every day of their life. It's just not possible.
Life happens.
Maybe it's a coworker who can drive you absolutely batty. Maybe it's aging parents whose health is failing and suddenly you're juggling doctor's appointments and long drives. Maybe it's sending your kids back to school and wondering why the supply list looks like something NASA would need to launch a rocket. We all have those everyday moments that can sour our mood in a hurry.
What I've learned is this: strive for the joyful days, but give yourself grace on the difficult ones.
The goal isn't to never have a bad day. The goal is to not let yesterday's bad day steal today's opportunity for joy.
Now, I can almost hear someone saying, "But what if you lost someone yesterday?"
That's different.
Grief belongs in a category all its own. Loss isn't something you simply wake up and get over. It's something you learn to carry, one day at a time. Even then, I've found that placing my faith in God gives me strength I could never find on my own.
If you're feeling overwhelmed or stuck, here's a simple challenge I'd encourage you to try:
Set a few meaningful goals for yourself.
Make a realistic plan to reach them.
Take the very first step.
Read your Bible every day.
Spend a few minutes journaling afterward.
Step away from social media for 30 days.
That last one might sound difficult, but it changed more in me than I ever expected.
Those thirty days gave my mind room to breathe. I found a peace I didn't realize I'd been missing. I became more present, more grateful, and more aware of God's direction in my life.
Will I go back to social media someday? Maybe.
But for now, I'm enjoying the quiet, the peace, and the alignment I've found. Your journey may look completely different from mine, and that's okay. The important thing is finding what brings you closer to peace, purpose, and the person God created you to be.
Friend, joy isn't something we stumble across. It's something we choose—again and again—even when life feels heavy.
Thank you for stopping by and sharing a glass of sweet tea with me today. I hope you'll choose joy, extend yourself a little grace when you need it, and remember that tomorrow is always a fresh start.
Until next time... keep your tea sweet, your faith strong, and your heart open. ❤️
When I Stepped Away, God Stepped In
A little over a month ago, I stepped away from social media for thirty days.
At first, I thought I was simply taking a break from the endless scrolling. What I didn’t expect was that the biggest change wouldn’t happen on my phone—it would happen in my heart.
During those thirty days, I committed to reading my Bible every day along with my devotional. I started in Psalms and simply listened.
Have you ever felt distance between yourself and someone you love and had no idea how to fix it?
I have.
For the longest time, I thought I understood what was happening in one of my relationships. Looking back now, I realize I was only seeing it through my own perspective. I was focused on how I felt things should be instead of asking God to help me see what He wanted me to understand.
As I spent time in Scripture, God gently began revealing places in my own heart that still needed work. Even though I try to live a Christian life, I realized there were still areas where I was holding on to pride, hurt, and selfishness without even recognizing it.
It’s never easy having your own faults brought into the light, but sometimes that’s exactly where healing begins.
Today, that relationship is stronger. My heart is more at peace. My thoughts aren’t constantly racing in every direction. I feel more grounded, more focused, and more confident in where God is leading me.
Something else surprised me during those thirty days.
I realized how much time I had been giving to things that weren’t really adding value to my life. Social media isn’t bad in itself. It can be an incredible tool for learning, encouraging others, growing a business, or staying connected.
The problem wasn’t social media.
The problem was how much of my attention I was giving it.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the scrolling, the opinions, the arguments, the comparison, and the constant noise. Little by little, it affects our mood, our peace, and sometimes even our relationships without us realizing it.
One question kept coming back to me:
Is it worth it?
For me, the answer was no.
My relationship with God, my family, my friends, and the people sitting right in front of me are worth far more than another hour spent scrolling.
I’m not saying everyone needs to delete social media. But I will say this: stepping away for thirty days and filling that time with Scripture changed me in ways I never expected.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, distracted, anxious, or simply disconnected from what matters most, maybe consider giving yourself the same gift.
You might be surprised by what God has been waiting to show you in the quiet.