Hey Everybody!
Recently I interviewed the wonderful Bonnie St. John for ParentLife magazine. Believe me when I tell you: This woman radiates joy! Her dazzling smile and dancing eyes belie the traumatic childhood and tremendous obstacles she has encountered throughout her life. She is an Olympic champion, a Rhodes Scholar, and an accomplished business woman. During the Clinton administration, she served as a Director for the National Economic Council. Today she is a sought-after motivational speaker and the author of several books, including Live Your Joy. Oh, and btw--she's accomplished all this on one leg. Bonnie's right leg was amputated when she was all of five years old.
How does Bonnie define something as elusive as joy? “Joy is very different from happiness or pleasure,” she explains. “Happiness is more about how my overall life is going. It is about experiencing sensations that come from the outside in. But joy comes from the inside out: hope, confidence, friendship, and faith. Joy, or the lack of it, permeates every aspect of your life.”
Bonnie recommends that everyone have a Joy First-Aid Kit! The idea behind this joy box is pretty simple: Fill a bag or basket with items that always bring a smile to your face. When you are having a bad day, pull it out. (You may remember doing this as a child, filling an old box with treasures and browsing through it when you were lonely or bored.)
Want to win a copy of Bonnie's latest book, Live Your Joy? I've got one to GIVE AWAY! All you need to do is leave a comment listing at least three things that you would put in your joy box! Oh, and please be sure to check out my new rules for giveaways! If you don't leave a way for me to contact you, then I can't contact you! (duh!) And if I don't hear from you in three days' time, the prize goes to someone else!
What would go in my joy box?
- Pictures of my husband and my kids
- Cards from my parents
- Richie Rabbit (a stuffed animal that Rich gave me when we first started dating)
- Some of the funny cards and pictures my kids have made for me as they have been growing up
- A yellow lei that an army wife gave me when I spoke at Fort Campbell several years ago
- sand from New Smyrna Beach
I'm sure that I will think of more things as I read all that you guys come up with! Oh, I'd probably put a coupon in there, too! A guy at church told me that my search for that elusive bargain is akin to his search for certain baseball cards. (Hmmm, well, now that you mention it, I might put my Arod baseball card in there, too...)
I can't wait to see what y'all come up with!
THIS GIVEAWAY WILL GO THROUGH MIDNIGHT THURSDAY, AUGUST 20th. THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY, AUGUST 24th!
7 comments:
Ya know I needed this...having a downer day.
OK number 1. Jamacian blue mtn coffee 2. Pics of the kids when they were toddlers 3. The absolutly funniest card Greg has ever given me, this past Valentines 4. Pics of my pets over the years 5. My favorite candles
6. A couple of favorite books....
oh sorry, you did say 3, LOL!!
That is a great article!
Some things I would put in my joy box for when I was having a bad day would be…
1. Pictures of my husband and daughter.
2. My favorite book (more than likely something historical fiction)
3. Cocoa and marshmallows
4. Old e-mails and letters from when my husband and I were courting.
I would put my only son's baby pictures in my box and my pictures of my sister at Graceland and a picture I have of my husband sitting on the commode reading the newspaper( you can't see any thing) but he doesn't have anything on and of course he hates it and I always laugh when I see it. my e-mail is farm4452@aol.com
Now THAT's funny!
My joy box would include soomething special from my husband, my son and my daughter.
1) the menu from my first date with my husband
1) the outfit my son wore home from the hospital
3) the outfit my daughter wore home from the hospital
And, of course all the birthday, Christmas and Mother's Day cards they've given me!!
(they are only 16 months old!..more joys to come!!!
Oh, where do I start???
1. Videos of my children, I love watching those, never get tired of it.
2. Love letter from my husband last year outlining his goals in our marriage! (yes he did it!!)
3. Pictures of my husband and children, brings back great memories!
I've thought a lot about this the last two days. I would include a steaming venti skinny Chi-tea latte, (2 pumps Chi, 3 pumps sugar free cinnamon dolce, no foam please), pictures of my wonderful husband and awesome boys, and my prayer journal as a reminder of how good and faithful the Lord has been to me.
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