“”Tis the Season!” will be heard for the next few weeks. It will be said with enthusiasm, with love, in sarcasm and in just plain exhaustion. In this season of festivities that keep us all busy, my goal is to purposefully find joy in the day to day situations that we often take for granted and overlook.

Here are some of the ways I’ve found joy the past few weeks…

I made a lengthy and congested commute twice a few weeks ago to the Galleria area (if you live in Houston you know this is HARD), during both morning commutes people very willingly let me in front of them in traffic. (P.S. I don’t know how people do that every day.)

Two sweet first grade students walk in to school holding hands. They do this every day!  They aren’t sisters, just sweet friends who find joy.

We have a new student who was having a tough time transitioning into school.  She is now thriving with her class without any assistance from administration.

We have a 4  year old student who loves to help. He helped mop the cafeteria, helped with our food drive and “helped” in 5th grade lunch.

We had a family night on Monday night and several parents posted pictures and a word of thanks on social media about the evening.

Tonight I attended my 6th grader’s “Beginning Band” holiday concert.  There were 181 band students and more parents/families in the audience.  From our seats we could not see past the person in front of us.  I couldn’t see my sweet saxophonist but I could hear the great sounds all 181 students made together.  It was amazing!  God bless those band directors from taking them from non-musical playing 11-12 year olds to one giant band playing together.

Today we had the fire alarm go off unexpectedly and the students and staff exited the building flawlessly.  Then once we received the all clear from the fire department, they went on with business as usual.  This is three days before winter break folks and a full moon on top of it!

I’m choosing joy.  It might be frazzled joy but it is joy nonetheless!

How are you choosing joy each day?