JOY

Yesterday morning, we slept in...and then we got up and made a big breakfast. This is something we usually do on Saturdays, but since we were going to be traveling on Saturday...and since Clark decided that he was done with school on Thursday...we decided to do it on Friday morning.

Side note: I don't know what it says about the state of things when your high school senior asks you to check him out at 10:50 on a Thursday, because they have already stopped taking grades and he has nothing else to do. And, he said that one of his teachers said, after their semester test on Wednesday, AND I QUOTE: "for the next two days, you don't bother me...and I won't bother you."

Yes, boys and girls, this is our future. Our future leaders, employers, VOTERS.

You don't bother me, I won't bother you.

And also, he has a teacher that is leaving at semester to go care for a loved one, and he is getting a new teacher in January. His "old" teacher said that she hoped the "new" teacher didn't need any help or advice from her, because the "new" teacher has been "gunning for her job" for years and now she's finally going to have it. The "old" teacher said she was not gonna help the "new" teacher AT ALL, and that if anyone had a problem with that, well then "screw you."

This is a college level class that he his taking at our high school.

Lovely, isn't it?

And we wonder why our kids turn out the way they do and we wonder why our world is in the state it's in. Not that it's our teacher's responsibility to raise our kids...it's not. It's ours. But I'm just sayin'. "Screw you?" There's no need for that, is there?

I think not.

And, also, when I called the high school to have Clark checked out at 10:50, she asked if he had an appointment. I said, "no, but he has RFCB and needs to come home." She said, "I'm sorry, RFCB?" I said, "yes, Ready For Christmas Break."

And I swurrr I heard crickets chirping.

People these days.

Can't take a joke.

Might explain why she asked for my name, relationship to Clark...and a call-back number.

Anyway, we all got up and around, and somewhere in the course of our morning, words were spoken that cut like a knife. And, as quickly as it happened, there was an apology. But the damage had already been done and tears rolled down my face as I bit my tongue. And everything is okay now, but I just wanted to share a little bit of wisdom that I've learned about marriage and parenting:

YOU CANNOT GET YOUR JOY FROM YOUR HUSBAND AND KIDS.

You just can't.

Oh, there are times when they can make you happier and more fulfilled that you ever imagined you could be.

And there are times when you want to strangle them.

Our joy has got to be about more than what our families can give us.

Our joy has to come from deep, deep within. It has to withstand trial and trouble and trauma and difficulties and the weariness of the days. We have to be able to pull it out no matter our circumstances. And it cannot be determined or affected by our circumstances.

It's not happiness...it's JOY.

I could've made things a lot easier on myself and others if I had understood this at an earlier age.

Learn from me.

"...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2