My sweet Annabella was putting up a bit of resistance tonight for bed.  After the 10th time coming out of her room, it was obvious I wasn’t going to get the kitchen cleaned up at that moment.  So, when she asked me to come rub her back, I dried my hands and escorted her back to her room.  I tucked her in and rubbed her forehead and her back.  She was asleep within minutes.  I knew she was tired.

I sat there in that moment, looking at my beautiful daughter and I just smiled.

In the dark.  To my self.

And the irritation I had felt from her defiance melted away.  Just.  Like.  That.

I felt peace.  I felt joy.  And the thought came to me, “Do you smile when no one is looking?”

Tonight, I had a good friend of mine take some photos of me, Annabella and her birth mom.  What a special time.  They went really well, and Annabella, of course, performed beautifully.  Smiled on queue.  Dressed the part.  Behaved like a princess.

When a camera is in front of us, what are we supposed to do?

Smile.

But, smiling when someone tells you to is expected.

Smiling when you are by yourself is the mark of a heart filled with joy.

Do I smile when no one is watching me?  If I claim to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, and am filled with the Holy Spirit who IS JOY, shouldn’t I bear an expression that proclaims this as truth?

Gal 5:22 “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

The other day Gavin was swimming at the hotel for his special night out with mommy and daddy.  I was sitting beside the pool observing this couple that had come in with their 3 children.  I watched the mother as she read her magazine, gazed at her children playing and spoke to and listened to her husband.  I commented to Rafael, “That woman has not stopped smiling.”  She had this sweet, gentle, contagious smile that lit up her entire face.  Without trying to stare, of course, I just watched her.  Her whole countenance emanated JOY.

Would others describe me the same way?  Would my husband?  My children?

All I know is that I wanted what she had at that moment.  Not in an envious way, but I recognized a character trait I needed to work on.

Every moment in life will not be a happy one.  But at every moment, I have a choice to smile and be joyful.

The bible tells us this,

Prov 15:13  “A happy heart makes the face cheerful.”

and

Prov 15:30  “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart.”

Joy from within will make you smile, and a smile will, in turn, bring joy within. 

So, remember to smile.  Even when no one is watching.