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What Children and Dogs Can Teach Us About Joy

Earlier this week, as I was walking to my car after school, another teacher was heading out beside me. She laughed and said how the kids had just shouted her name—again—from across the parking lot. They’d already spent the entire day with her, but they were still bursting with excitement just to wave one more time.

That stayed with me.

There’s something so honest about the enthusiasm of children. They don’t hide their joy. They don’t hold back their hearts. Their love is simple and big and unfiltered. And I found myself thinking—when did we start holding ours back?

Rediscovering Joy in the Everyday

As we grow older, we tend to quiet our excitement. Life weighs in, responsibilities grow, and suddenly we forget how to delight in the little things. Even teenagers, with all their beautiful complexity, often lose that carefree joy that once came so naturally.

But what if we could get some of it back?

Children find joy in the tiniest of moments—a butterfly out the window, a new eraser, a familiar face at dismissal. Their hearts are still wired for wonder. And maybe ours are, too, buried under the noise and the lists and the expectations.

Lessons from the Leash: A Dog’s Delight

It’s the same kind of joy I see in my dogs.

I could walk out to the mailbox and be gone for four minutes, and when I return, it’s as if I’ve been away for years. They greet me with tails wagging and hearts full. Every single time.

It doesn’t matter how long I was gone. They’re just happy I’m home. Their enthusiasm is immediate. Pure. Unconditional. And somehow, it mirrors the same kind of wholehearted love I see in children.

It’s not about time or reason—it’s about presence. About letting someone know they matter, that their return was worth celebrating.

What a beautiful way to live.

A More Joyful Life Begins With Attention

Whether it’s a child, a loved one, or our own reflections in the mirror, joy is waiting to be noticed.

Here are a few gentle ways to invite that childlike joy back into your daily life:

  • Greet your moments with your whole heart. Let your morning coffee be a little celebration. The sunshine through your window? A small miracle. Notice it.
  • Let yourself be excited. Don’t save enthusiasm for weekends or vacations. Look forward to something today—even something small.
  • Respond with joy. When you see someone you love, let them feel it. A smile, a kind word, a warm hug—they matter.
  • Keep a joy journal. Write down the little things that made you smile. A shared laugh. A flower in bloom. A tail wag.
  • Pray like a child. Talk to God the way a child would—freely, simply, with trust. He already knows your heart.

Closing Reflection

We don’t need to be loud to live with enthusiasm. We just need to be open—to wonder, to presence, to love.

Children and dogs are wise in this way. They meet life as it is, not as they wish it would be. They offer love without calculation and joy without reservation.

May we do the same.

With a heart open to the everyday wonder,
Jenny

The Sacred Gift of Right Now

Yesterday after church, a dear friend and I sat down for coffee—the kind of slow, heart-soothing conversation that lingers long after the last sip. She said something that’s been quietly echoing in me ever since:

“The past is gone, and we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future because it hasn’t happened yet. All we really have is this moment—right here, right now.”

It was one of those truths you already know deep down but need to hear spoken aloud, especially when your heart’s been tangled in what was and what might be.

Lately, I’ve realized how often I’ve been living outside the moment. I dwell on the past—on choices I wish I could change, words I’d take back, and moments I would rewrite if I could. I also spend too much time worrying about the future, asking myself what will happen, when, and how. It can be exhausting.

And in all that overthinking, I miss what’s right in front of me.

The only moment I truly have is the one I’m living right now.

This breath.
This morning light.
This dog curled up beside me.
This fresh cup of coffee.
This heart that’s still healing—and still hoping.

There’s nothing wrong with setting goals or dreaming forward. I believe in creating intention and leaving room for what could be. But when we live in a loop of regret and worry, we trade away our peace. We miss the sacred gift of the present moment.

I don’t want to miss it anymore.

So today, I’m choosing to gently shift my focus. Not to ignore the past or stop caring about the future, but to start embracing this moment—the one where life is actually happening. The one where God is already meeting me, just as I am.

Maybe you need that reminder too.

That your past doesn’t get the final word.
That tomorrow doesn’t have to be figured out today.
That grace is available now—in this exact breath.

This is where peace lives:
Not in the replays.
Not in the what-ifs.
But right here, in the quiet now.

Here are a few small ways to root yourself in the present today:

  • Take a five-minute pause. Breathe deeply. Let that be enough.
  • Light a candle and whisper: “Thank You for right now.”
  • Write down three things around you that bring peace to your senses.
  • Pour your coffee into a favorite mug and drink it slowly, no distractions.
  • Choose one simple task to give your full attention—just one.

You don’t have to fix what’s already happened.
You don’t have to carry tomorrow’s worries today.
You just have to be here—willing, open-hearted, and present enough to receive today’s grace.

And that, my friend, is more than enough.

With love and presence,
Jenny

The Little Luxuries That Make Life Sweet | Finding Joy in Simple Moments

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It’s the smallest things that bring the deepest comfort—a warm cup of coffee cradled between tired hands, the soft glow of candlelight dancing against the walls, the familiar melody of a favorite song playing low in the background. Life’s little luxuries aren’t grand or extravagant; they’re the everyday moments that whisper this is enough.

This week, I’ve been savoring…

✨ The soft rhythm of rain against the windows—a quiet lullaby that slows the world down, inviting reflection, rest, and deep exhales.

✨ Freshly ground coffee with lots of cream—the scent filling the air before that first slow sip, the kind that soothes, awakens, and somehow feels like a small act of love.

✨ Candlelit evenings with a book in hand—the flicker of warmth making everything feel softer, cozier, a quiet world away from the noise of the day.

✨ Handwritten notes—the scratch of pen on paper, a love letter to the past, a tangible thread that connects hearts across time.

✨ The scent of fresh linens and a tidy space—a simple kind of peace, like a deep breath for the soul.

✨ A message or a voice on the other end of the phone—even across miles, even when words feel few, the sound of someone you love reaching across the distance is its own kind of warmth.

These aren’t lavish things, but they are beautiful things. The kind that ground us, bring us back to the moment, and remind us that joy isn’t found in the big, unattainable dreams but in the simple, fleeting wonders of everyday life.

A few tiny treasures to savor this week:

  • A warm bath or shower with your favorite scent.
  • Playing music that makes you feel light and happy.
  • Adding fresh flowers or greenery to your space.
  • Writing down three things you’re grateful for today.
  • Taking a deep breath and simply being in this moment.

What little luxuries have brought you joy this week? ✨

Thank you for being here!

Love & Blessings,

Jenny

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