Our sweet Joy will be 15 in March and still rises to the occasion to alert us when needed. She’s slowed down so much this year and has become a “closet dog”. Probably to escape for uninterrupted long naps. She is still such a sweetheart though and a loving watch dog at heart, even though she can barely get up the deck stairs these days. I wonder often how much longer she has. She sure has been a great dog. Her only “downfalls” are her excessive barking, if anything is in the yard or passing by on the road and her shedding. Otherwise she’s been perfect.
Speaking of her barking, if you’ve been over to our house before, you know exactly what I mean. She is the “welcoming party” and the “protest when you leave party”. We had Jehovah Witness’s ring our doorbell years ago and when they heard Joy bark, one lady said, “Don’t you open that door.” It was the funniest thing.
In her old age, she’s missing quite a bit. However she was the “Hero” last night in alerting my husband Ron to what was happening outside. Ron had let her out to the bathroom and when she saw lights in our driveway she began barking. Turns out a drunk driver took down a large section of our privacy fence. Two of the guy’s friends had come to attempt helping him get away. Thankful to Joy’s alert Ron was able to call the police. That young man who spoke no English, was arrested for DUI and taken to jail. Ron asked the young man’s friend who showed up to try to help him escape why they didn’t knock on our door. She said they didn’t think we were home. Which is a lie. She also said the guy had a flat tire. Ron checked the tires and none were flat. We are thankful no one was injured and the guys insurance will cover the damage.
In honor of our “Old Guard” Queen Joy, I will post some of my favorite pictures of her. She is a rescue that we got at an animal shelter in Charlotte. I fell in love with her cute face. She’s been a good dog and I’m so thankful for her faithfulness over the many years. Enjoy the pictures. http://www.shannonkhinson.com
Joy in front of our family Christmas tree several years ago. Granny Joy & her buddy Moose. Hiking in the mountains with Ron and Joshua. Joy watching me write my book “Rooted by the Water”. Joy loved her soccer ball when she was younger. Peeking out from under the bed.Hammock time on a chilly day. Look at our sweet puppy. Joshua & Joy about 14 years ago. My favorite picture of Joy when she was a puppy.
Got Joy? How many of you “got it”? Years ago when I took a class at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, the professor broke JOY down into three parts; Jesus, others and yourself.
In my 55 years of life, I’ve discovered those three parts of JOY are essential but in that order; Jesus first, others second and myself last. I have truly found the times I am happiest are when I am serving others and give of myself to Jesus, in whatever capacity.
This morning when I woke up I spent time in prayer and God’s Word like I always do. My husband Ron asked me why I was dancing around in the kitchen, all happy. I said, “ It’s a good day, the sun in shining and I’m happy.” Besides the fact that I don’t have to wear the back brace anymore. The compression fracture to my L3 is healing nicely. I’m happy to be alive and able to give thanks to God. It’s the little things in life that make me smile.
As Ron and I were talking over our breakfast of eggs, we began talking about people who tend to complain. It made me take a “deep dive” into why people complain. Let’s see: things aren’t going their way, or possibly they lack control over a situation. Perhaps, friends are in a new season and something has shifted. The root of complaining can be many things. However I’m thinking it boils down to yourself. Something isn’t meeting your expectations. Just a thought.
What would happen if we put ourself last and put Jesus first? What would happen if we put others before ourself? Experience tells me that it brings JOY! It’s not about me or you. It’s about Jesus and serving Him. The times I am happiest, I’m doing something for others. Last week is an example and I do not share this to “toot my horn”, rather I say this in humility. Last week Ron and I made pound cakes for our homeless friends that we help serve with the awesome RiceNBeans team. I told Ron I thought the people would enjoy something homemade. I was in the back brace but I didn’t care. Ron sliced the cakes as I baked them. It was no big deal really. He got 100 pieces of cake from those four pound cakes. My heart felt so much joy that night as we were serving the rice, beans, hotdogs and cake. I was tired when we got home but I was so happy. I saw my friends bringing warm clothes for a lady who was cold. Not everyone makes it into the shelters. It warmed my heart to see the team loving on these people who have no where to go. If you lack true JOY in your life. Try this, put Jesus first in your life. Ask Jesus to open your eyes to the needs of people around you and get involved. The “y” in joy is last. Consider yourself last. Try not to be easily offended. If you haven’t heard from someone in a while, don’t take it personally. Perhaps that person is going through a tough time. Reach out and let them know you are thinking about them. Life is too short to hold grudges. Let’s spread the joy and peace of the Lord. Have an awesome week. If you’d like to help with RicenBeans go to the website and sign up to help. Volunteers can drop when the weather gets back but we are out there anyway. Check out http://www.ricenbeans.org Together let’s spread Joy
As promised here is my blog on Joy. Wasn’t quite expecting to work on this wearing an uncomfortable back brace. If you follow my blogs you know I slipped and fell very hard on ice last Saturday, hurting my back. I held off getting checked because I could move, there was no numbness or tingling in my limbs and no other signs of a break; however the pain and weakness in my lower back persisted. My husband Ron talked me into going to Urgent Care last night. What shocked me was being sent to ER for a CT scan and X-rays. I looked at the Dr and said, “Is this really necessary?” We thought I was just having muscle spasms but it turns out I have a compression fracture in my lumbar area of my spine. I’m to wear this back brace that keeps my spine straight and supports me for four weeks. I will follow the doctors instructions but these guys have to stop making me laugh. It hurts to laugh. Our son Joshua said, “Mom, I’m not trying to make you laugh”. I know it’s not intentional, he’s just funny. I have no problem with Joy. I laugh easily and sometimes in the face of an intense struggle. Sometimes the absurdity of a situation makes me laugh. I know that the joy of the Lord is indeed my strength. So as I sit here typing up this blog, I can’t help but laugh that my back brace comes all the way up to the top of y chest and back, with my chin resting upon the top potion of the brace. It is not comfortable but you do what you have to do. The above is a picture for you. I don’t take myself too seriously and certainly am not vain.
A few weeks ago a friend posted the following on social media, and it truly made me smile. I asked Jo Ann if I should share what she wrote and she gave me permission. She is such a strong woman of God. Her beloved husband of many years suddenly passed away a few years ago and then she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has endured much sorrow and God strengthens her and is bringing her through. She shared the following. I will use bold font for what was in her post (used with permission) ~ I didn’t realize till I started looking at scripture this morning on LAUGHTER and JOY in God‘s word there’s 115 scripture about laughter and joy…this is just a few…God wants us to LAUGH and have JOY…THROUGH OUR PAIN AND SUFFERING WE CAN STILL FIND LAUGHTER AND JOY…
Job 8:21 – “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”
Proverbs 17:22 – “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Ecclesiastes 3:4 – “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
Luke 6:21 – “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”
Proverbs 31:25 – “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
Psalm 37:13 – “But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.”
I CHOSE TODAY JANUARY 2, 2025 TO FIND LAUGHTER AND FIND JOY NO MATTER WHAT…BECAUSE GODS WORD SAYS THAT I CAN HAVE IT. I HAVE REACH FOR IT.
I’m thankful God is filling Jo Ann with His joy and laughter. I’m beyond thankful for the joy and laughter He gives me too. You too can find joy and laughter in the midst of difficulty. Joy is one of the Fruits of the Spirit. As we trust in Jesus, He can fill us with joy unspeakable. For me, I just let things roll. I don’t take life too seriously. What people think is really of no concern, just move on. I’m an optimist, looking for the good in everything. It’s an attitude and way of life for me. Trusting God helps me find the peace, joy and strength I need for each hurdle.
Life is so full of uncertainty, but I know who holds us in the palm of His hand. Living with hearing and visual issues can be a challenge. Seeing our son Joshua endure the same is like a dagger that pierces my heart. Yes the same son that makes me laugh all the time. Recently he had a moment and in that moment he said , “How am I supposed to trust God when it’s His fault He made me this way?” Whoa! Lord how am I supposed to respond to that? I looked at him and said, “Joshua everything God creates is very good. It’s according to His purposes not ours.” He looked at me, then looked away. It’s life! One step forward, two steps back. But I will never stop hoping, never stop believing and never stop trusting in God’s goodness. God is a Miracle working God. He is a God that heals! For me, He has healed my heart from bitterness and replaced it with Joy. I will continue to wait for manifestation of healing in the physical. His ways are so much higher than ours.
Where ever you are on your journey in life you can find joy, peace, hope and strength for each day. When God pours these things into you, be sure you pour into others. People need encouragement. When we got home from the ER last night I responded to a message a friend from high school had sent me. She’s faced some difficulty too and I wanted to encourage her in that moment to stay focused. God has us all. He will see us through. So SMILE, it does make you feel better. This too shall pass. Joy comes in the morning. Keep your chin up! You are loved!💗🙏🏼🤟🏼
Candle light service at Fort Mill Church of God. Photo credit Joshua Hinson.
On this day after Christmas, I find myself reflecting. It’s been the perfect day for it, with rain pouring most of the day. It’s kind of like silent pondering after a busy time of celebration.
After almost thirty years of marriage, raising a son who no longer lives at home, Christmas time has changed a bit. This is also our third Christmas without my Dad. He loved this time of year and would have liked that Mom decorated two trees this year. She always does a beautiful job making her house look festive for Christmas.
We never really know how Christmas will unfold even with traditions. The week before Christmas our son was in Florida and we weren’t sure if he would be back in time for our Christmas Eve plans. With adult kids, you never really know how it’s all going to play out. Thankfully our son made it back in town just in time to join us and Grandma for the Christmas Eve candlelight service at Fort Mill Church of God. This was the church we raised Joshua in. We went there for seventeen years.
As we walked in we saw some familiar faces and got a few hugs. I was surprised that we each got a real candle. Mom signed for me. Well she tried her best as the Pastor speaks so very fast. It was an unusual Christmas Eve service but it was so very meaningful. I assumed we would sing the usual Christmas carols and hear the Christmas story. I was so moved by the worship. We gathered to celebrate Jesus birth and the music Pastor led us in beautiful anointed worship of Jesus our King. The Pastor spoke on Revelations 5. He brought it all together from Genesis to Revelations…. JESUS! We had communion then one by one everyone’s candle was lit as we sang O come let us adore Him. It was one of the highlights of this Christmas.
After the service we drove to Waffle House which is our tradition. Why Waffle House? It’s usually the only thing open but the place was packed. We did find a Mexican restaurant close by and had a nice dinner there, enjoying time with Grandma. We usually also ride around to see Christmas lights but Grandma was tired and Joshua was too. After a short visit at her house we headed home. Joshua spent the night with us.
The very best gift was spending time with our son. He always has a friend or two with him so it’s not often to get his undivided attention. Even though he was tired, we talked for hours. It was like old times and it was pure JOY!
Late Christmas afternoon, we went to Grandmas to meet up with my brother’s family and celebrate again. My two year old great niece was there and she brought such joy and smiles. She took her little baby doll into the study room to “change the diaper”. She had her little diaper changing cloth on the floor. As she looked up on the wall, she saw Great Grandpas golf ball collection and she wanted to see a few. Gigi (my Mom) got several down for her. She placed them on her diaper changing cloth. It was so cute. I know my Dad would have loved that. It’s the little things that bring a big smile to my heart.
So this Christmas is a wrap and it’s “one for the books”. It was wonderful! It’s not about the gifts that were exchanged. What made it extra special was the meaningful candlelight service, long talks with our son and time with family. Those things are priceless. My heart is full and I am truly thankful. I pray you all had a wonderful time of celebration and time spent with the special people in yours life.
If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share. I’m thankful for this gift to share when God puts something on my heart. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. (Hard cover soft cover, and e-book formats.) I pray it gives you great hope and courage to surrender to Jesus. He is all you really need. All for the Glory of God.
Just a little while ago I was in the kitchen brewing a pot of tea and all the sudden I burst out laughing. My husband Ron heard me and wanted to now what was so funny. I told him, “You never know whats going through my mind.” I was going to leave it at that, but he insisted to know so I told him. The Christmas carol, “Deck the Halls” was playing in my head but with a slightly different twist. Singing in my off key voice: Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la blah blah blah Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la blah blah blah. We both started laughing. Why in the world does my mind work this way? Who needs Hollywood when the mind can be so comical?
I know… I’m not right but I am real. There is no pretense with me. I’m one of those : “take a situation and make it work” kind of people. We can’t fix people or situations but we can adjust our approach and expectations.
This is the most wonderful time of year simply because we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The greatest gift ever. When we keep to the true meaning of our celebrations I’m good. When we throw the hustle, chaos, shopping, events, gatherings, and traditions in, it can overstimulate and overwhelm me. Don’t get me wrong, I do love it. Dealing with all of it and having visual and hearing limitations makes it hard. I’m most content in going with a smile and doing my best to make sure everyone else is enjoying themselves. That is just the way I “roll”. It brings me joy to see others enjoying themselves.
While there is cheer and joy all around. I also see suffering and people struggling. There are people with limitations whether it be physical, financial, relational or emotional. There are people not eager to experience this holiday without a loved one who is no longer with us. I know some people who are grieving and others with health issues.
So how can we find joy in the midst of it all? I will share with you what works for me. First, I keep my focus on the true meaning of it all. It’s all about Jesus. Plain and simple. Every single day when I wake up Jesus gets my first fruits of the day: time for prayer and study of the Bible. It brings me such peace, joy and strength to face whatever the day throws. Often times it throws some curve balls. All I can say is “batter up”.
Another thing that brings me joy is giving. It doesn’t have to be things. I can be giving of my time or a listening ear. Encouragement is one of my spiritual gifts and I take great delight in encouraging others. Today I asked Ron if we could give a gift card we received for a local ice cream shop, to a single mother of four. He was all for it. It made us happy to pass on the blessing to her. There is such joy to be found in giving. It is much more blessed to give than receive.
Another way to find joy is being okay with saying no. You don’t have to go to everything you’re invited to if it wears you flat out. Prioritize! You must take care of yourself so you can take care of others. Finding balance is key.
Find a way to get your shopping and errands done without totally depleting yourself. I will tell you I am not a shopper. I’m not the best with gift giving simply because stores overwhelm me. With my low vision and the way everything is so high tech, going to the store is down right over stimulating. There is too much to look at and when I see something thats a possible gift idea, then I need to see the size. I get my ipad out and use my camera to find the right size. I know… I’m stubbornly independent. I just never want to be a bother. Thank God for Amazon and online shopping. I don’t need to drive to get it and I’m not overloaded with images. I can just search what I’m looking for and scroll through the selection. This year I had most of my shopping done before December 1 thanks to Black Friday online deals and cyber Monday deals. It worked for me. Find what works for you and don’t stress about it. Joy is not found in a gift under a tree.
Find joy in the special people in your life. God blesses us with family, be it big or small. God also blesses us with friends to enjoy and laugh with. I honestly had the best time with a group of friends recently. We decided to have a pajama Christmas Mexican party. We all wore our Christmas pajamas and brought something for a Mexican dinner to share. We all drew a name and brought one gift that was color themed. Whatever color the person we drew wanted, we found something that color. It was a neat and fun idea. Each person opened their gift beside where I was sitting so I could see everything. I did not ask them to do this. They are just so thoughtful! Such a blessing! We also played Uno with EXTRA LARGE cards. My friend Leasa bought them on Amazon, thinking I could see them better. It was hilarious and I surely could see them better. It was the best time I’ve had in a long time. Their thoughtfulness and friendship is such a gift and most of them are in my Bible study group.
My prayer for you all is that you find true joy this Christmas season and in the coming year. Life is not perfect. There are always challenges of some kind to face but you dont have to do it alone. I love Matthew 1:23, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”” (NLT). Isn’t that beautiful. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are not alone. Find true joy this Christmas in the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Oh come let us adore Him… Oh come let us adore Him… Oh come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share. I’m thankful for this gift to share when God puts something on my heart. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. (Hard cover soft cover, and e-book formats.) I pray it gives you great hope and courage to surrender to Jesus. He is all you really need. All for the Glory of God.
A couple of days ago my husband Ron and son Joshua humored me by agreeing to a Fall afternoon of kayaking. We had not seen Joshua in over a week but he had the day off and agreed to join us. I was so excited; a few hours doing one of my favorite things with my favorite guys.
This was our first time going as a family. I had gone with Ron once and had gone with Joshua once, but since we just have two kayaks we borrowed one from a friend. It was a beautiful sunny Fall day with a slight breeze. This may have been our last paddle of the season because the next night temperatures dipped down into the 40’s.
How can I describe the sheer joy and happiness those few hours brought me? Being on the water is so relaxing, especially when there aren’t many boats out. The beauty of nature with the sun shining and breeze tickling my skin makes me smile from my heart. What a feeling! The sky was reflecting off the calm water. We didn’t talk that much out on the water. I did wear my old cochlear implant processor though. We would paddle a ways then pull together for a water break and to chat a bit.
I found out later that neither of them had wanted to go but they both knew how much I love it and they wanted to do it for me. I am thankful for these two. Joshua has grown up and Ron has been having some health issues over the summer. Relaxing times with just the three of us doesn’t happen often but it sure did bring joy to my heart and they both ended up having a good time. I do believe they will do it again next season. I think the trick to drawing them will be finding new interesting places to explore and catching Joshua when he’s not busy.
Live in the moment and cherish times spent with those you love. Tomorrow is not promised. If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share. I’m thankful for this gift to share when God puts something on my heart. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. (Hard cover soft cover, and e-book formats.) I pray it gives you great hope and courage to surrender to Jesus. He is all you really need. All for the Glory of God. Be blessed!
I can’t tell you how light my heart has been these last few weeks. As I sit in the early mornings with just the Christmas tree lights on, it is utterly peaceful. These early morning times are spent in prayer and reading the Bible. I do this everyday year round , minus the Christmas tree lights which are only on in December and part of January. These times with Jesus set the pace for my day.
As the Christmas Carol goes, Joy to the world the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room…. I will stop right there. I personally opened my heart to Jesus years ago. He is the greatest gift from God. He fills my heart with great Joy. I have sought and found Him and my confidence is in Him for all my needs. He fills my life with great joy and helps me have perspective on the hard things in life.
You might scoff at my view and think I live under a rock. Yes I know all the troubles going on in the world. Yes I see the suffering. Life is tough. Being legally blind and deaf is a day to day challenge that few understand. BUT God gives me such great determination and strength to endure. It’s not about me and having it all easy. It’s about Jesus and bringing glory to His name.
Jesus is the best and most Undescribable gift! Like the shepherds and wise men who eagerly followed the star and found baby Jesus in a manager, in a stable. When they found Him they were filled with awe and joy. Have you sought Jesus? He is waiting for you to make room in your heart amd life for Him.
Christmas is a promise kept. (God keeps All His promises) The prophets foretold Jesus birth hundreds of years before it happened. Wow! What an awesome God we serve. As I typed that I actually started singing the worship chorus… My God is awesome, He can move a mountain, keep me in the valley. Hide me from the rain. My God is awesome, heals me when I’m broken, strength when I am weary, forever He will reign. I’m sitting here with tears streaming down my cheeks. I might not have the words exactly right but my heart is in tune with my Lord.
Do you know Jesus? He is the greatest gift you will ever get! When you accept Him as your Lord and Savior and confess and repent of your sins, He forgives you and fills you with such peace.
If you have wandered away from the faith, come home to Jesus! He is the only thing that will ever satisfy your soul. The world is filled with distractions and momentary pleasures but they won’t ever fill your heart. There is a place in our hearts that only Jesus can fill. Make room! Don’t turn Him away.
Dear Jesus I pray for all who read this, I pray you will open their eyes to your truth, your word, your love. As we prepare to celebrate your birth, I pray we each worship you with all our hearts and rejoice in the gift you give. It’s all about you Jesus! Show us the way! Shine brightly for the whole world to see! I love you Lord! Happy birthday Jesus? Amen!
Merry Christmas to you all! If you liked this blog post please subscribe. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I pray it gives you great hope and courage to surrender to Jesus. He is all you really need. Be blessed.
Blogging in the car right now. Joshua was in a wedding over the weekend in Wilmington, NC so we decided to tag along. Since it was kind of last minute we couldn’t find a dog sitter and decided to just bring Joy with us. This was her first beach trip and we had no idea how she was going to respond. She is such a sweet and loving dog but her one pitfall is she is a “barker”. We took her bark collar just in case but she was amazing and didn’t have to wear it at all.
On Saturday Joshua was dressed for the rehearsal when we left home. Driving east across the Carolina’s we finally found the wedding venue. When he was finished at the rehearsal we all were excited to take Joy to Wrightsville beach. The beach is my happy place. Anywhere near the ocean is always soothing. I was disappointed when we found out dogs are not allowed on the beach at all. Thankfully it was cool and breezy so Joy could stay in the car with the windows cracked while we took a walk on the beach. We did find a patio where she could have dinner with us.
Once back at the hotel I did a search online to see where Joy could come with us. Fort Fisher state park was the winner being dog friendly year round. We made plans to go the next morning and early afternoon before Joshua had to be at the wedding.
Joshua and Joy
It was not the typical beach day at Fort Fisher. There was a beach soccer tournament going on with lots of people and dogs. There must have been three or four games going on at once. Joy was definitely overstimulated but she loved it. she was curious about the sand, wasn’t afraid of the water and cried when she couldn’t play with every dog that walked by. She loved it and was worn out when we left.
I’m glad we decided to tag along with Joshua this weekend and have family time including Joy. Joshua is grown and family get aways are rare but this was refreshing. A change of scenery and memories made together as a family is priceless.
Take that quick weekend trip. Make memories. Family time is always special. So thankful for this time away.
If you’d like to read more of my story please check out my autobiography “Rooted by the Water”. It’s a true story of how God has enabled me to overcome great difficulties, not by my own strength but through His strength made perfect in my weaknesses. You can find it on Amazon and many other online retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, Target and Walmart.
Happy Friday! I wasn’t intending to blog today but I absolutely LOVE when I wake up with a worship song on my heart and my lips singing forth as I rise from bed. ( thankfully no one was here to witness it except our dog Joy. She doesn’t care that I can’t sing. I didn’t have my Nadia cochlear implant processor on yet so I couldn’t hear myself sing 🤣). I was belting out, “God said he would be right there… my God is everywhere. God said it, I believe it…. God said it, I believe it…. I’m going to take him at his word)
Our dog Joy under the bed.
There’s nothing like rising in the morning singing out loud. My day is Made! Thank you Jesus for the Joy that comes in the morning! Thank you for your Faithfulness! Thank you for the doors you will open for Your glory!
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