Joy in the Job { Delight & be Savvy }

We have to choose joy and keep choosing it.

Even when the editing piles up, or the work is overwhelming or sometimes worse, underwhelming, when you are trying so hard. How about when you want to give up or when you just want to push through the next work week because you’re so tired. Choose joy and keep choosing it. Joy is a way of being, a state of mind and a way to live. A joyful life is a fulfilling life.

When I first starting photography as more than a hobby I was definitely in la-la land. I was certain that photography would be the best career because I was enjoying it so much as a hobby that just shooting and editing was fun and easy enough. Hey, I could do this all day.

It turns out that it was kind of one of those expectation VS reality things. The expectation was nice and fluffy, I imagined myself just taking pretty pictures all day, having really awesome style, editing in hipster coffee shops and people just throwing their money at me to hire me.  Reality, reality hit hard! I had to dig deep and evaluate my passion to make something for myself from scratch. All of the finances, little details and technicalities that come along when you decide to make your hobby a career. I didn’t realize how quickly all of those things could add up and could easily dim my fiery passion so quickly… IF I let it. I quickly learned the choice was in my hands.

Giving up is a choice

Busy is a choice

Stress is a choice

Joy is a choice too. Joy in all circumstances, in the tough times, when your work that you were once so passionate about becomes a job because you’re up at 2am to finish a gallery that is past due.  Or you’re behind on bookkeeping and taxes and you need to update your contracts and reply to emails.

“Do EVERYTHING without complaining or grumbling”  Why? Because (Sing it with me!)
“I’ve got the joy,joy,joy,joy down in my heart, to stayyyy! I am so happy, Ive got the love of Jesus in my heart!”

Ah! That’s it! We have Jesus in our hearts so we are called to have Joy because He is the JOY that is in us! What an awesome example and light we can be if we choose to be.  I know sometimes it is tiring, or you simply dont want to. Most certainly it isn’t always the easier choice. Trust me, some days I want to sit in my pity party because that’s what is easiest to do. When I think about the choices I have before me, sometimes the hard choice is to choose to see the Joy when it’s a “job” or throw my hands up or sit in self pity. I remember that it’s not the circumstances that create joy, it’s me. So what will I choose?

I want people to look at me, even if it’s through the filter of this computer screen, this blog, or my personal work and know I’m different, know who I walk and talk for, who my heart beats for, who I create for. I want them to wonder why. Why that even when I may not have all of the success in the worlds eyes I will smile and see the good in my surroundings that may be less than perfect. When I’m weary of what can be work, I can rest because I’m promised that the Joy of the Lord is my strength.

Thats the beauty of having the ability to be in His presence as one of his children. In His presence is the fulness of joy.

Joy is our reward too, like it says in Psalm 21:6 “For you grant him lasting blessings; you give him great joy by allowing him into your presence.”

He blesses that choice.

So today, what are you going to choose? I choose joy.