Crying At the Library

            Last weekend we went to our local library.  They were doing some kind of treasure hunt for younger children, with a story time, and a craft.  It was a tie into the St. Patrick’s Day theme.  We thought it would be fun, and our youngest daughter wanted to go.  She did have fun.  Until she sat all of her things (Candy, a bracelet, a temporary tattoo) that she found in the scavenger hunt on a one of the mats that had been laid down for story time to go say something to us.  When she got up, another child and his mom felt the need to sit their behinds on top of my daughter’s things where she had been sitting. I’d like to think it had been a misunderstanding. When my daughter got back to her seat to find they had taken her seat and sat on her things she started to cry.  My youngest does have a tendency to cry easily but she may have had a point here.  The mother didn’t seem to care she sat on my daughter’s prizes.  She finally moved her behind and gave them to my daughter but in no way was she going to change mats.  My daughter wanted to leave immediately.  She was embarrassed she was crying, and was mad at the woman.  Without punching the other mother I did the only thing I knew to do.  I pulled my daughter on my lap and sat on the mat in front of the lady.  We encouraged my daughter to still try to have a good time.  Eventually I think she did. 

            It’s so true that when situations like the above occur we all have a tendency to want to just run and leave the environment we are in.  Those things steal our joy.  I wasn’t about to end up in a fist fight with the mother, but I wasn’t about to let her ignorance stop my daughter from having fun.

            I have noticed in life that it can be a series of waves and storms.  You have to learn how to stay where God has placed you, and refuse to allow the changes thrown at you to steal the joy of living.  We can choose in life to either be a victim or an overcomer.  I was trying to use this situation to teach my daughter not to let what happened steal her fun.  I hope she learned that lesson.  Jesus overcame death, and the world’s system.  If we are in Him, we can do the same.

1 John 5:4 (NKJV)

⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our^[a] faith.

            Don’t let circumstances, annoying people, or whatever might get thrown your way in a situation steal the joy of living from you.  Sit yourself down and refuse to allow your joy to be stolen from you. 

Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

God doesn’t send things your way to steal, kill or destroy you.  But Jesus came that you might have life, and live it more abundantly.  Don’t allow things to chase you away from living, but rise up and take your stand.  I know you’ll be glad you did.  Joy and happiness are choices that come from the inside.  Choose to live exuberantly.

God has awesome plans for your life.  Get excited.