Bounce.

Bounce.


Bounce is a word, much like bubbles, free, play, bunnies, wiggle, skip, twirl, pretty, lights, hop, or pep, that doesn't usually come up in a negative conversation.

I was just kinda sitting here thinking about the fact of how our very speech and choice of words changes with our moods.

For instance: how very likely are you to use the word 'bounce' when in an argument with someone?

It's just kind of interesting, how many things change with our attitudes: Like our speech, our tones, voice inflections, word choices, clothing, emotions, effort, music preferences, etc... Your attitude just seems to affect so much of your life! No wonder God stresses it's importance.

The thing is: it's a choice. Of course I mean it's not your fault if outside circumstances make you sad or tear you down. It's going to happen.
But then again, after the initial shock, you do have a choice. A choice to dwell on the negative or positive. 

You can't choose what happens to you in your life, but you can choose how you react to it. 

And that's where God comes in. So often we end up lost, stuck, or depressed because we tried to make things better on our own, when all we really have to do is release our problems to God, trust in Him to work them out, and continue our lives. I feel like this last step is an important one people often leave out. Sure we talk a lot about giving our problems to God and trusting Him, but we never really speak of the next step. Which, I believe, is not just waiting around for life to be perfect again. Because, I hate to break it to you, but it wont be. Things will still be stinky sometimes. But it's the choice to move on, to get through it, even after life has taken you down, even after you've given it all up to God. To just take each day, giving thanks for it and living it to the best of your ability, focused on loving God and others, not wallowing in the tears of the past. That's the way to live.

I wrote such a long post a while ago about the difference between happiness and joy. Basically saying essentially how while happiness is a fleeting emotion that comes and goes, Joy is a choice we make daily to rejoice and give thanks in the midst of our extenuating circumstances.

But all that talk matters most when things get tough. When life comes around full force to knock you down. When there's something around, everyday, bad enough to make you break down in tears. That's when it counts to rejoice. That's when it counts to stand up, face your challenges, and declare that your God is bigger.

Not to talk about it, not to hear about it, not to think about, not to know about it, but to do it.

To Bounce. Even when your world is falling apart.