Cheeks Hurt

You ever been so happy, and smile so much, that your cheeks hurt? I love that feeling when you just have happiness all around you that you can't help but smile all of the time. Sometimes you may not even physically smile on the outside, but you are overflowing with joy on the inside. I tell ya...I have so felt that way lately. The crazy thing is, I wouldn't necessarily say I've felt happy 24/7. There's been bad moods to deal with (mine, not anyone else's!), sickness in the house, lots to do, and a whole lot of spiritual warfare all around. I've been reading a great book (which I'll write more about later on) that has just already transformed some thinking patterns I've held on to, that well, I'm just sick of holding on to. If you've read my blog lately (which I know millions of you are! Ha!) you know that I have spent a long while just stewing over everything. I've been BITTER! I had absolutely NO reason to stay bitter, but I decided I liked it there, so there I stayed. So dumb, really! No one else was miserable but me. It was time to make a change. It was time to say, "Hey, God, this whole control I've been trying to steal from YOU...YOU take it back! I don't want it!" I don't always succeed at that, but God is showing me that when I decide that He's in control, there's a whole lot less worry, and a whole lot more happiness and joy. As a result, there's a sweeter time in my home, in my friendships and most of all in my relationship with Christ. He's showing me things and putting people in my life that have completely encouraged and transformed me. The last few weeks, I have laughed more and learned more in a long time, and how amazing to be able to do that even in the midst of stuff that isn't always where I find the most joy. I'm so glad that God is in the details of life. He knows just what we need and when we need it. Even in the bad or the good, He's never left, but we've sooooo left Him to take control of our own life. I'm thankful today that He's showing me that today matters. What we do with today could be the difference in the legacy we leave behind. I don't know about you, but I'm stopping today to realize I'm blessed beyond words. There's no room in my life for feeling sorry for self, making my own agenda, complaining, griping, accusing, being lazy. There's only time to laugh so hard that my cheeks hurt!

UPDATE:
Right after I posted this, I read this quote... "Until you have given up your self to Him you will not have a real self..." CS Lewis