Mid-Week Joy Report

NOTE: If you are here to check out Day 2 of my 21-Day Bible Journaling Challenge blog post, click HERE or keep scrolling... it is the post after this one.


Wednesdays are important because they keep me focused on the JOYS in my life. Sometimes, I let stresses get to me... and then I lose sight my word of the year - JOY! I need these moments to reflect on JOY!

This week I traveled to Chicago for the final of four VBS trainings that I had the joy of leading. I'm actually part of a FABULOUS team of dedicated trainers. It was a great year - and the Chicago training was just one of the JOYs of being on the team. Especially exciting to me is the statistic that for every person trained in VBS, there will be a salvation during VBS. There's no real reason for that - other than it's the way it is. So we strive to train as many as possible and we have fun doing it. That's a win/win!

This week also aged my husband - he had a birthday. We voted this week - we're getting a new mayor in our town. We worshiped in three different churches this week.

It's been a JOYful week!

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Another thing about Wednesdays - it is the day of the week when I do my "50 Truths Challenge" where I read a chapter from the book 50 Truths Worth Knowing and use that story as a starting point for creating a card. I've enjoyed this challenge... a lot!

Chapter 14

Objects Are Just Objects...

What Matters Most is What They Represent

Michael begged his dad - for years - to be given the opportunity to wear dad's class ring - not so much because of the beautiful green stone or the  high school shield in the middle of it, but rather because it belonged to his dad. Can't you just imagine how much Michael must have loved and admired his dad for that to be important to him?

Finally his dad agreed. He said Michael could wear the ring until he graduated from High School (and got his own ring). At that time he was to return his dad's ring to his dad. And it was agreed that if Michael had a son, he would do the same thing with his own son. A tradition was born.

Michael's dad was a wise man. He saw this as a motivation for Michael to finish school - and to be the first in his family to graduate from college.

Michael's 8th grade graduation included many gifts, but by far, his favorite was the box that contained his dad's class ring.

For two years, Michael wore the ring every day. Then the unthinkable happened. Because he was not allowed to wear jewelry of any kind to football practice, he gave the ring to a friend, thinking it would be safe. The friend passed it to another friend for safekeeping... and then the ring was lost.

Michael said telling his dad was excruciatingly painful, but his dad wasn't angry. Instead his dad said the ring was not what was important. After all, he could buy another ring. What was important to his dad was that Michael graduate from High School and then College.

Michale who was still in school when this chapter was written said he plans to do just that... and when he graduates he is going to give his own High School ring (and then his college one, too) to his Dad.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Image: Stampin' UP! Great Graduation 

Sentiment: Stampabilities Go For It

Ink: Lawn Fawn Jet Black and Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections Black and White and Stampin' UP! Almost Amethyst Card Stock and DCWV Blue Dream DP

Embellishments: Brads and Ribbon from unknown vendors