Trip to the Montgomery Zoo

"We love the zoo, yes we do. We love the zoo, how about you?"

It was a perfect Sunday afternoon to take a trip to the zoo with JJ, Hayes,and Cameron Stanley. We rode the train, fed the birds, played with goats, and looked at the giraffes, elephants, monkeys, alligators, and bears. The kids (and I) had a great time! We will have to go back more often! 

Joy > Happiness

People often get joy and happiness confused or use them interchangeably. But they are different and I'll show you how.

Happiness, by definition is "to be delighted, pleased, or glad over a particular thing." Did you hear that? "...over a particular THING."  Things don't last forever. That being said, happiness is based off of circumstance, situations, people, and things. There are things that make me happy such as Disney movies, spending time with friends, teaching kids, and eating chocolate. These things make me happy. If all my Disney movies were taken away, someone stole my chocolate, I didn't see my friends, and couldn't teach kids, I would not be happy. The things that make me happy, do just that--they keep me from being sad. I have a friend who calls these things, "happies". Happies are great, good things to have, but we cannot let them be the only thing that controls whether or not we are happy or sad. That is a dangerous place to be. We cannot let our happiness be dependent on something we can lose. If we do that, we are going to live a miserable, sad life. It's true. Whether that is a person, a job, a relationship, or a dream. People die, friendships end, jobs are taken away, dreams are crushed.  Everything on earth is capable of being taken away from you. That's the harsh truth. Nothing here, no person, no job is going to last forever. Therefore, we MUST find our source of eternal happiness in something deeper, that's not based on or dependent on our circumstances (thank goodness). When we find this deeper source of happiness, we call it JOY.

As some think, joy isn't being  upbeat and giggly all the time. That's not possible because sad, devastating, and heart breaking things happen to us all the time. These things are what take away our happiness at times. We aren't supposed to always smile and laugh and act like the world is A-Okay all the time. Jesus wept at times. His heart was saddened for people just like we are. We are told that it is okay to not always be smiling and happy in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 where it's written,

 "There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

²     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

With that being said, it is okay and natural for us to cry, to mourn, and to be sad. However, there is only a time for that--it cannot last forever. The time to be sad will come and then it will go. Then after that time, comes the time to be happy and glad. Joy is what lasts. Happiness does not. Consistent joy comes through a relationship with Jesus and constant trust and faith in Him, HIs promises, His love, and His timing. Kay Warren says it like this,

"Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation."

WOAH. How beautiful is that? And its even more amazing and beautiful that we can obtain that joy!! Notice that definition doesn't say anything about good, happy feelings or earthly things. It's about choosing to trust God and the promise(s) that he has given to us. He promises us joy. Did you know that? Happiness is not promised, but joy is.

It's promised to us in Psalms 30:5-- "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." And in these verses:

John 15:11 "These things have I spoken to you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

Rom 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

Gal 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace..."

**Joy is not circumstantial; it is providential**

If joy was not possible, God would not promise it. If joy was not possible, he would not require it. If joy was not possible, He would not have mentioned it over 200 hundred times in the Bible. As C.S. Lewis said, "Joy is the serious business of Heaven." Joy is a big deal as a Christian. There are so many things we cling to in this world; so many things that bring us pleasure, happiness, and make us feel complete. In the midst of everything the world CAN offer us, there are some things it cannot. Joy is one of them. Joy is something that can only be obtained through Jesus and his death. We lost all hope of having joy when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden. So, as a result, Jesus died to return that gift to us. Happiness can easily be received and found in the world. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and other kinds of people can find happiness in life. But, they cannot find joy unless they know Jesus. This is one of many precious gifts that God presents to his children. The ability and hope and possibility of experiencing joy is a blessing and a true sign of God's love for us.

All this to say, joy is different than happiness. God does not expect us to laugh or smile when our mom, brother, sister, wife, husband, or child dies. He does not expect us to be giddy when we lose our job. He does not expect us to be happy when Satan tries to tear us down. Satan can steal your happiness, but he CANNOT steal your joy. It is something that is given to us from God, and Satan cannot take it. However, when we lose a job, a relationship, or a loved one, we are still expected to trust and praise God. Praise him through the storm because although life is rocky and seems out of control to you, God is allowing it all and controlling it all. We are expected to have confidence in Him even when have confidence in nothing else. But ultimately, nothing else matters but Jesus.

In my life I have lost my mom to cancer and one of my best friends and greatest influences to a car accident. I have been heart broken by a relationship, taken away from the college I loved, and hurt by people in ways I thought would break me. Although there were many many tears shed during each of these hardships, God remained with me. Even though I cried (very hard) and felt anger and confusion towards others, God was there. He calmed my heart and spirit. He held me and showed me that although bad things happen, there is still SO MUCH good. Because of Jesus, I was able to smile and laugh with friends and family over the memories of my mom at her funeral and the same at Virginia's. Because of Jesus, I was able to still smile at the little things in life every day even though my heart was broken. Because of Jesus, I was able to find contentment in moving colleges. And because of Jesus, I am stronger and more joyful than I ever have been. This is because of Christ, and Christ alone. He is why I still laugh out loud at stupid things, why my face lights up when Kimbrel or Hayes say a new word or sing a song, why my heart beats faster when I spend time with someone I love, why my breath is taken away when I see God's beautiful creation, and why I can still life a joyful life despite the tragedy after tragedy that has come my way. The fact that God is in control of those hard times and loses, brings me so. much. comfort. Think of it like this: The One who created each individual star, the one who created every type of flower, the one who gives breath to each person on the earth each second, is in control of my life. He can do so much and yet he still takes time to guide me through each day. That doesn't mean i'm going to always be happy, but it means that I can and will be joyful no matter what happens. People tell me "I don't know how youre still so happy and fun and bubbly and excited about things after everything you've been through." (that's super encouraging by the way) but you know what I tell them? The only thing I can tell them? I tell them that it's Jesus. Without his sacrifice and love for me, I would be a mess and I would truly be the darkest, saddest, most horrible person in the world. But God has given me grace upon grace and then some more. That is why I can still smile and be happy and joyful even when I'm sad and in the midst of a trial. That is the difference between happiness and joy-- happiness fades because it is connected to the world, and Joy lasts and cannot be taken away because it is connected to King Jesus. 

The amount of joy you experience is dependent upon how much of your life you let go of and give to God. I'ts dependent upon how much faith and trust you are putting in God's hands & control instead of your own. Joy is not letting your failures and hardships and shortcomings affect your attitude day to day. Joy is still finding happiness, goodness, and light where it seems completely absent. Joy is knowing there is still goodness out there and deciding to see after it and find it. Joy can change your life so don't miss it.

Seek joy in every day. Ask God to bring you joy. He will answer your prayer, HE WILL. He may show you a sunset that's just for you or surprise you with something you weren't expecting. He loves you and wants you to experience joy in Jesus so all you have to do is seek Him and ask Him. It doesn't mean your life is free of hardships, but it means that  He will provide joy and your life will be changed during them. Through him you will be able to laugh during the storms and smile even when you are at loss. Trust him and He will act.
 

Resolutions {2015}

"My life is constantly under construction. There is always something to improve."

  Maybe it's cliché but I don't care--I made New Year's resolutions. And I made 17 cause I usually don't end up doing them for a whole year, so the more I make the more likely it is that I'll complete at least 1, right? I thought so too. Anyways, these are all changes that are big, small, silly, or serious. Variety keeps life interesting. So here we go..

1. Compliment others. Magnify their strengths, not their weaknesses.

2. Run every week day between classes. Start at 2 miles a day.

3. Find joy in every day.

4. Pray for others and their needs in addition to my own.

5. Spend as much time with Jesus as  I do with friends.

6. Talk about my joys and happiness instead of my problems and tears.

7. Learn how to be happy even when I'm sad. Be an example to others.

8. Save money so I can give it to others (Missions, kids, friends, church. etc.)

9. Go to Uganda

10. MEET BABY JONES #2!!!

11. Sponsor another child in Kenya or Uganda.

12. PLAN to say no to social events so I can spent time in the Word instead.

13. Capture moments of God's power and glory and awesomeness for a rainy day. Capture moments to remind me of his power when I'm in doubt.

14. Tone down the road rage... a lot.

15. Try something new every time I go to Tipico or Moes.

16. Say 'thank you' to someone each day for something they have blessed me with in life.

17. Be a friend who makes others better, brings them hope, and shows them the wonder of having a relationship with Jesus.

3,2,1.... GO! Let's see how well I do this year with all 17 of my resolutions! 



Christmas 2014

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

    For Christmas this year, my 2 step brothers and step sister spent Christmas in Tuscaloosa, so our normal family of 9 Christmas morning went down to 6. My step mom also got sick on Christmas Eve so there were only 5 of us ready for Christmas. None of the kids this year opened any presents because we either were given all gift cards or used all our "present money" to purchase something big. My sister is paying for a cruise with hers, and I bought a Nikon D3100 camera with mine. That being said, we woke up later than normal on Christmas and ate breakfast, opened our stockings, and got ready to go visit my grandparents in Troy with my aunt. Usually, our 3 cousins are there as well, but they were in North Carolina, so once again, the family circle on Christmas was small. But, it was still fun! We learned to make due with the situation and have fun. We spent all afternoon playing football, Frisbee, and soccer in the yard. Then, right before we left, we decided to relive our childhood days of sliding down the front yard hill at my gparents house on cardboard boxes. THAT was disastrous but fun! We laughed way too hard and got a little too beat up, but we made fun memories. We headed home and the rest of the night we watched our favorite Christmas movies like Its A Wonderful Life and Home Alone. It was a smaller and less exciting Christmas than we have had in the past, but it was still special. 

  A few days after Christmas, our cousins came to visit us from North Carolina and so we took a 13 person family trip to Atmore, AL to see our great uncles and go by our great grandma's farm! Our grandparents grew up there, so we visited the family farm and relived old memories. We picked cotton, explored through the old sheds and houses, played with the neighbors dogs, and watched the gorgeous sunset before we left. It was a great after noon filled with family, jokes, sarcasm, good southern food, and more memories. I'm thankful for my family even though they drive me crazy sometimes! The Lord has blessed with so many people in my life and I often don't say thank you enough. He also has blessed us with his beautiful creation and the things around us like cotton, sunsets, animals, and so much more! I love spending time in HIs creation and need to make an effort to explore it more. 

Sunsets are one of my favorite things!

Cousin Becca

 

Fresh Cotton

Creating a tree fort 

From Coaches to Friends to Family

"Friends are the family you get to choose." 

-Jess Scott

God gave us family and God gave us friends. Your family should also be your friends, right? Well, I think that some friends (the right friends) should also be your family. And that is the case with my friends, I mean family, the Jones. First of all, they are THE BEST PEOPLE I KNOW  and I don't know why God blessed ME with them, or why He gave them to me, but He did. He knew I needed people like them in my life and that I would need family like them. 6 years later I am still blown away, every day, that God would give me a blessing as precious and huge as the Jones. And that is because He loves me and wants to give me good, good things. But anyways, family is typically thought of as people who are tied together by blood or marriage; and that's right. But family can also be individuals who make your life better, challenge you, sacrifice for you, love, trust you, and have your best interest at heart. That's why I call the Jones family and why they call me family. 

 I didn't think (For a while) that they liked me THAT much. I thought they liked me but not like one of the favorites or anything like that. Haha i'm oblivious though so that explains it probably.The first time they said I was like family to them I kinda thought, "Aww that's so sweet. I'm honored."But I also thought part of them was saying that, but meaning that they felt close to me and love me.. more than some other friends. And that's definitely true, but only a portion of why I"m family to them. As I spent more time with them, I realized what they meant and that they truly view me as family. When I became Aunt Karel when Kimbrel was born, I couldn't think of anything else I wanted to be. It was the most humbling, beautiful, and special name or title anyone has ever given me. Aunt Karel meant I was more than just a friend or babysitter or mentor. More than "Miss Karel". I was Aunt Karel. It still makes me smile big and she's almost 2!! Being an aunt to Gary and Sarah's baby meant I was special and with that, kinda given more responsibility to do my part in raising her, encouraging her, loving her, and setting a good example for her. As Aunt Karel I hope and pray that Kimbrel will see Jesus in me. That she will see me and be excited and runnnnn towards me and jump up in my arms. That she will, one day, understand that I love Jesus, but only because He loved me first. I pray that she will be encouraged by how I react when I'm sad, upset, or angry. I pray that she will see goodness and light in me, and that she will be drawn to the good instead of the bad. I pray that she will grow up to love Jesus like her mama, daddy, and rest of her family do. I pray that she will have a desire to serve others, share God's love and promises with others, and minister to others by her life. There has been a precious and special place in my heart for Kimbrel since the first second I held her. She has truly changed my life and the way I look at life. She has taught me a new level of love and thankfulness. And I know God will use her to do great and mighty things in this world. As Aunt Karel, I cannot wait to see the plans He has in store for little Kimbrel Lynn Jones. OH and now I get to be Aunt Karel for the second time!!! Party hard, party hard!! Baby Jones #2 will be here in July (2015) and I cannot wait!! 

Ain't they cute?? I blend in well with the dark, curly hair :D

Here come Jones Baby #2!! Kimbrel is a big sister!! 

God sent Sarah from Kansas to Montgomery then to Eastwood, and sent Gary (on top of having a career) to Eastwood, where we were in need of coaches. This is where I met them. And PRAISE THE LORD for that. Even though I was an annoying 8th grader who missed easy layups and whose ears stuck out, they still showed me love and encouragement. That is why I began to love them and truly look up to them. I had times where players from the other teams would ask me if they were my parents or if Sarah was my sister. I would laugh and say no, but it made me really happy when people asked. because I knew I loved them and being family would make me love them even more!! But, through the years. God has blessed our friendship and turned us into family.  It brings me so much joy and happiness to go on family outings with them. meet their family members, and be treated like I am part of their family. There isn't a thing I have done to deserve them or their patience, love, and generosity, but I am grateful for them on a daily basis. They have shown me how to love all people, even the ones who are difficult. They have taught me how to use God's word to make it through hard times and how to still trust him and thank him during good times. They have shown me how to be hospitable and generous. They have shown me patience. SO. Much. Patience. I didn't know that two people could be so patient but thank goodness they are.They have never left my side and have walked me through things that I could not have walked through alone. And I cannot put them into words because there are not words good enough to do so. I don't even know how to tell them thank you sometimes so i just have to say, "Thank you for loving me and accepting me and being my friends." Words fall so short when it comes to thanking them and thanking God for them. One day when I have kiddos of my own, they will hear sooo much about the Jones and to my kids, they will be Uncle Gary and Aunt Sarah. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT YO!! All this to say, I have friends who have become family and for that, I owe God a hundred thousand thank you's because He has blessed me with more than I ever could have asked for. 

Three Times Blessed

 {Nov. 24. 2014}

Photocreds to Alea Bostic // http://aleabostic.wix.com/leemariephotography

As thanksgiving approaches each year, I am always more aware of the things and people i have been blessed with, the lessons I've learned, my relationship with the Lord, and the wonderful life that I have. Like most families, I don't always get along with my siblings. And at times, I feel like we argue more then we get along. However, I cannot imagine life without my big sister (Hope), little brother (Allan), and little sister (Joy). We argue, disagree, make fun of each other, and sometimes get physical haha, but at the end of the day, no matter how mean they were to me or how much we bickered, I wouldn't trade them for anything or anyone else. With them, we have gone through the trial of losing our mom to cancer when Hope was 13, I was 11, Allan was 9, and Joy was 7. Because of that and the way our mom and dad raised us, we drew closer to each other. We learned to encourage more and let the little things go. We have learned how short life can be and how important it is to build relationships with family and friends. These three brown eyed, brunette, sarcastic, and hilarious people make my life complete. I wouldn't say that to them cause we don't do cheesy, ooey gooey feelings often. But each of them contribute to our family. I have 3 forever friends in them, who see my absolute WORST sides, but forgive me and love me still. And I do the same. There is a special bond between siblings and I thank the Lord for the ones he gave to me. Sometimes they are the ones who rat you out when you do something wrong, but sometimes (and more so the case with us), they are ones who help you fix it or distract the parents from finding out. It's a blessing and a curse sometimes :) We may disagree on big things and little things, which is okay. However, we still have to respect each other and try to see their side and accept them for who they are. Love them even if you don't "get" them. These are the people who have known you the longest and have gone through things with you and understand the hard times and good. They are there to laugh on car rides or cry at funerals. Either way, siblings are a gift from God and a treasure. Keep that treasure, don't give them away or push them away at the moments when they don't shine or sparkle like they used to. Give second, third, one billionth chances to them. Keep them and fight for them. They are in your life because God knows you need them. 

 

                  

Allan (17): Allan is the only boy (bless him) and my little, but not so little brother. Through the years, I have seen him grow  from a little goofy boy to a strong, protective, wise, young man. Him and I butt heads SO MUCH but it is because we both takes things seriously, care deeply,  and want to make sure we are living the right way. We don't agree on things alot, but we move past it. He brings the most laughs into our family and has always been that way. He is very protective of me, Hope, and Joy, even if we don't want him to be. He also is very wise, even at a young age. He has been through things in life that have caused him to mature and gain wisdom. I love him and am proud to be his big sister. Whatever girl marries him, will be a lucky, blessed, and forever happy with him. He is special and a role model to boys, young men, and older men by the way he lives his life, loves the Lord, and serves others. He is a stud but also a servant. I"m thankful God has blessed our family with him. 

Hope (21): Hope is my big sister and the oldest of the 4. She is very different from me but we still have common ground. She is independent, charismatic, passionate, outgoing, and strong willed. She has a special and sometimes more difficult role as the oldest because the rest of us are watching her. We watch what she does, how she reacts to things, the choices she makes, the friends she chooses, and the way she presents herself to the world. From watching her grow up, I have learned what things about her I want to do the same, and some things I definitely don't want to do haha. She has been the best sister I could have picked and our personalities go together perfectly. (God knew what he was doing). She has been my best friend and an irreplaceable friend who has helped me when i was in pain, laughed with me when I was being weird (or HILARIOUS cause I am). and she has taught me so much about Christ, life, and college. I am thankful God gave me a big sister to look up to and that she was Hope. 

             

  

 

                 

Joy (15): The baby!! Oh goodness. Joy is the youngest and usually the most annoying (sorry Joy). But she is still loved and adored. When Joy was born, she had holes in her lungs, was rushed to the ICU, then flown by helicopter form Montgomery to Jackson Hospital in Bham. The doctors told my family that they were not sure she would make it to the hospital because her health was in critical condition. That's something I cannot imagine going through as a mom, but my mom and dad prayed without ceasing and trusted God with Joy's life. And God saved her- he healed her and gave her life. She spent several more weeks in the hospital but finally came home. We were THRILLED to meet our new baby sister. All that to say, Joy was a miracle baby and reminder of God's providence, control, and power. JOy is full of life, love, and joy. So her name fits her perfectly :) She brings loudness, jokes (some stupid but some good), and reminds us to breathe and enjoy life. She is a blessing tome and i love having a little sister i can give advice to, encourage, teach, and influence. She is strong and a fighter, which she has been since day 1. I know she will do great things and I am excited to be here to see it!