Today's Personal Joy-spot:
January 20: spending hours on the phone with a good friend, crying a little, laughing a lot.
January 21: meeting someone for the first time and realizing you are passionate about the
same things.
January 22: wearing my favourite boots and feeling amazing in them.
January 23: laughing with a friend; speaking words of encouragement that you know came
directly from your God-source (a.k.a. the Holy Spirit)
January 24: teaching a class of grade 1's - I love children! :)
January 25: a quiet day at home with just me, listening to a 'catherine maclellan' CD while
washing my floors :)
January 26: remembering the laughter and shouts of little friends as they call out your
name, and dive into your arms for a hug (thank you Olivia and Braden
McKnight - you bring a smile to my face every time I think of you)
re-reading journal entries and being reminded of treasured thoughts.
words. moment's
January 27: finding the scarf that I thought I had lost. special because I bought it in
Portugal.
a nap after a long day with busy kindergarteners
January 28: worshipping God
January 29: having my married children pop by for supper
January 30: today my body 'screams' in 'delight' at having spent an hour and a half at the
gym yesterday
January 31:
reading 'Psalms' as if they were written just for me
receiving an email from a friend who lives far away - [sigh . . . I know some
very amazing people :)]
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February 2: leg hugs from little grade 1-ers running to me; random leg hugs just because
(thank you Cooper, you blessed me)
February 3: a phone call from a good friend
February 4: life giving words from Pastor Jeff [
www.northview.org]
February 5: sunshine (oh how we west-coasters love our sunshine!)
February 6: taking 3 words of written instruction and creating a lesson out of it
(where would I be without the Holy Spirit's creativity?)
February 7: yeah for chiropractors who have an opening appointment just when I needed it
- laughing with 'the boys' planning drama stuff
- coffee with a friend
- listening to the wind - we have a small area down the street with massive
trees that 'embrace each other when the wind attacks'. It reminded me of the
day I held a restless baby Julia in my arms. We sat outside on the bench in
front of my house wrapped warmly in a blanket just listening to the trees talk.
I was in awe of Julia being in awe.
February 8: I made coconut buns and they were amazing! and THEN I made homemade
tortilla flats.
February 9: a thoughtful comment from a friend
February 10: walking into a well organized classroom with a clearly planned day
(thank you Susan Beatty)
February 11: I found a Patricia Polacco children's book at the thrift shop for .75!
- my daughter Keterah [
keterah.blogspot.com] brought over cookies she
had made and decorated.
February 12: my back doesn't hurt today - I can move again:)
- talked to my dad on the phone - his body is slowly dying yet his attitude
towards life is good. He said: '
everyday is a good day; some days are
just better'
February 13: I love adding to this list -
searching for joy-spots sharpens the intent.
February 14: Aleah got a chance to go to the Canuck's hockey game last night;
she's wanted to do this for so long. I was so excited for her.
February 15: creating stuff (specifically spaceships and aliens for my grade 2's and 3's)
February 16: 20 children working quietly and independently on their math with Pachebel
playing in the background - a perfect moment in the classroom
- sitting on my teacher chair, reading a story to the class, while little girls
quietly play with the fringe on my moccasins
-sharing teacher ideas with my daughter
February 17: I went to the gym - this is always cause for celebration!!
February 18: spent the day with a friend. listening to her very talented daughter's
(Emily Harder) yet to be released CD. Wait for it - it's amazing!
February 19: inspired by yet another sermon by Jeff Bucknam [
www.northview.org]
The more we know, the more we are held accountable for.
February 20: reading a story to my class while the 2 little girls sitting at my feet played
with my shoes.
- knowing my daughter is happily married; excited with her as they celebrate
their 2nd wedding anniversary
February 21: listening to my daughter as she shared what she is learning in her university
classes - she is going to be the most amazing teacher ever! :)
February 22: being told I've made a difference in someone's life
February 23: my children were all home for supper - sometimes children grow up
amazing in spite of us . . .
February 24: listening to my 2 prayer mentors (Pam & Marilyn) speak at a conference
[
www.abbotsfordcityprayer.blogspot.com]- I know some very amazing people
- a coffee date with Carissa and Ale
- my new stove came (double oven and everything works!)
February 25: supper with long time friends; drinking expensive Port while eating a
decadent 3 layer (cookie, oreo, brownie) chocolate cake - so good!
February 26: we had care group over for supper; having a double oven stove to make
pizza for 10 was so nice!
February 28: walking into a school and having the teacher cheer and the students
run in for a hug
- new fireplace just got put in; I so love being warm
- being respected (thanks D.)
February 29: watching Amy (grade 2 student) dance to the Macarena while singing
O Canada in assembly
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March 1: creative ideas keep bopping into my head . . . love that when it happens!
-here is a picture of an idea that I
thought of a few
years ago, it works so well, and its a
Marilyn Kampen original: take an
apple corer; core out a hole in the
side of a lemon; pop in a wine cork
to keep it from drying out.
purpose of this: fresh
squeezed lemon juice!
keeps for weeks!
March 2: going shopping at 2nd-hand
consignment and thrift stores.
excited for my friend who found a grad dress
(1/2 price) and shoes.
March 3: my daughter bought me a pan to make Roti - so excited about this!
- if you squinted with one eye, turned your head a little to the left
and used a magnifying glass, you could see the possibility of a
piece of clear blue sky :)
March 4: dancing in the kitchen with my daughter to Luke Bryan! :]
- my daughter made me perishky - so proud of her; so excited
to have these in my fridge :)
March 5: standing in the rain with teacher friends on strike; singing 'sunshine songs'
March 6: a long walk with a fun friend on a beautiful sunny day
drama practice with the boys :)
March 8: laughing with a friend (Lia) as we try on clothes we have no idea where we
would wear.
March 9: not having a car accident when it clearly looked like I would
March 10: doing well at something you love.
March 11: 'nailing' my lines and timing in a dramatic reading.
March 12: sisters
March 14: coupons [2 for 1 coffees]
March 15: hearing my ticket number called - winning free defence lessons!
March 16: kitchen dancing with my 2 year old friend (Ale) to Lion King
March 17: so proud of my friend for his creative take on a dramatic reading.
March 18: my dad is dying and yet he and my mom are both at peace - God is
their strength and their joy!
March 19: knowing what I'm going to have for supper.
March 20-29: [attended funeral of my father]
- joy-spots during this time: my father is at peace; he is in no more pain
: good remembrances
: laughter
: respect
: my mom is healthy; am excited for her
new beginnings
: spent time with family
March 30 : yeah for my own bed!
: it isn't raining!
: time on my own after a busy week of people
March 31: Dale told me I look younger every time he sees me - EVERYBODY
needs to hear those words every once in a while :)
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April 1: a empty day filled with potential and possibilities
April 2: getting creative ideas on the spot
April 3: having a special needs child who doesn't do change well, feel
comfortable with me in the classroom
April 4: thai food and a glass of wine with a good friend (Jody)
April 5: I love feeling confident at my job
April 6: Kailey (grade 1) wrote in her journal 'that the best part of Jump Rope
for Heart was skipping with Mris. Capin (me)'
thought of a great Easter craft that everyone loved
April 7: 15 C and sunny!
talking to my friend on the phone.
April 8: a hug from a long ago friend (Susan)
April 9: going shopping with my daughter - I love spending time with her
April 10: reading to a class of kindergartens - I love reading children's books:
'I am a Duck'
April 11: reading scripture - every time I read I see something new as if it's
been there hidden, waiting for me to find it :)
April 12: motivated to clean my bathroom - walls, floors, . . . did it all!
April 13: a student told me I was 'the funnest sub ever!'
April 14: listened to 'come to the well' by Laura Rhinehard -
music that reminded me of the source that gives life!
April 15: completing a project and liking the results
April 16: mittens - I love having warm hands
April 17: my friend Lia is today's joyspot. I love that she trust me to share
the 'good stuff' in her life.
April 18: accomplishing an overdue task
April 19: seeing the face of a child who has just been successful at
something for the first time
April 20: my on-the-spot idea worked! 20 'slightly' imperfect paper
ducks created by 20 enthusiastic kindergarteners
April 21: being gracious when I've been insulted . . . sigh . . . yeah, I
did it!
building my people resource list - I love connecting people
April 22: breaking through hard stuff
April 23: a moment of serenity listening to the creek water run under
the bridge
April 24: polka-dots
April 25: when a friend trusts you
April 26: being invited out
April 27: when I looked out my kitchen patio door this morning, I
saw flowering jasmine, flowering dogwood, a flowering
apple tree, a flowering cherry blossom tree, tulips, candy
tuft, golden seal and . . . a little bit of sun :)
April 28: hiking for 2 hours - new group of people - tough climb
but I did it! - stunning view - beautiful day
April 29: after a busy weekend, I didn't get called in to work - yeah
for sleeping in!
