Sometimes joy is slow and steady and slips in beside you when you are teaching school or while you are washing dishes. Sometimes,  it comes bounding down the hall with purple pajamas and messy hair and says, “Mama, I go with you.” You count it all joy because one day she’ll be too big to pick up in a good morning hug.

And sometimes you have to get in, grab on tight and let joy take you for a ride….

You say yes to putting the books away and set “should” aside and you play all day. You eat ice cream, share colas, and let the wind blow your hair crazy.  You count it all joy because life is meant to be lived big and beautiful.

Sometimes slow and steady.  Sometimes big and beautiful.  But, always there is Joy to be counted. (<—-click to tweet)

The Joy Dare = 1,000 Gifts in 2012

112.  Family

113.  Ballet.

114.  The moon sitting low in the sky that catches my breath.

115. Singing my heart out.

116. Playing all day with my kids.

117. Sisters who look out for each other.

118. Laughing at ourselves.

119. Watching my girls discover.

120. Wrapping up my baby girl in a pink towel after bath.

121. Coffee with a friend.

122. Learning that inspires.

123. Others who want to build into my girls.

124. Being a YES mommy….not always my thing.

125. My girls making sweet Valentines with friends.

126. Chatting and praying with 2 of the best women I know. How blessed am I?

127. A kind mention of “Hope for the Weary Mom”. Just wow.

128. Peanut Butter Chex Mix. Yum.

129. Daddy daughter dances.

130. A fun video from my husband of our 5 year old dancing the night away!

131. Hanging out with my littlest while the big girls are at the dance.

132. I was far off, a stranger, with no Hope…but God through Jesus saved me by grace. {Eph. 2}

{linking up today with 1000 gifts at A Holy Experience}