Joy in the Slow Days

There’s something funny about summer.

All year long, we count down the days until school is out. We dream about slower mornings, less rushing, and a break from the constant schedule. Then summer finally arrives, and about three days later, we’re standing in the kitchen wondering why everyone suddenly needs a snack every 17 minutes.

Can I get an amen?

As moms, we often think joy comes from the big moments…the family vacation, the special events, the picture-perfect memories. But sometimes God gently reminds us that joy is found in the ordinary moments too.

The slow days.

The mornings when you sip your coffee before the house fully wakes up. Or the mornings when you don’t actually have to wake up to an alarm. The afternoons spent watching kids ride bikes up and down the driveway. The evenings when everyone gathers around the table with sun-kissed cheeks and stories from the day. Or kicking back on the back porch savoring the beauty of God’s goodness during the slower days…just being still.

These moments may not seem extraordinary, but they are gifts…often taken for granted.

Summer has a way of inviting us to slow down and notice what we’ve been rushing past all year. The laughter coming from the backyard. The sound of birds outside the window. The simple blessing of having nowhere urgent to be for a few hours. Sure, there is still work for a lot of us, our typical 9 – 5 but there’s still something beautiful about the slower summer days when kids are out of school.

That kind of joy doesn’t come from having a perfect schedule or a perfectly clean house. (Thank goodness, because mine didn’t get that memo and I don’t have the typical 9 – 5!)

Real joy comes from being present.

This month, I’ve been keeping my Choose Joy wood block where I can see it every day. It’s a simple reminder that joy isn’t something we wait to find someday. It’s something we choose right here, in the middle of laundry piles, snack requests, slow days and busy summer adventures. Pair it with your favorite Choose Joy coffee mug  and let those little reminders point your heart back to gratitude throughout the day.


Find the wood block here: https://littleblockofhappy.com/products/choose-joy-wood-block
Find the mug here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4524676617/choose-joy-coffee-mug-christian-coffee
 

Friend, if your summer feels wonderfully slow…or maybe even a little messy…don’t miss the beauty hidden in these ordinary days. They may not make the highlight reel, but they are often the moments that become our sweetest memories.

So take a deep breath, pour another cup of coffee, and soak it all in.

Joy is here. Choose it.

Even in the slow days. Even in the chaos.

 
"This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalm 118:24

May we choose joy today, not because everything is perfect, but because God is present in every moment. 💛