My friends like to sometimes call me "Oma Optimism," or "Debbie the Defender"...or "Deb" for short. (I'm being serious...I am not nearly witty enough to make this stuff up). Why do they tag me with these titles? Well, apparently they think I like to look on the bright side of life. Put a positive spin on things, if you will. Honestly, lately, I have no idea what they are talking about. Sure I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and have not typically liked confrontation so when things start to get tense, I will try and see the situation from all sides involved. I try to be a positive person, but over the past eight months, I wouldn't say I have been a shining example of seeing the cup half full. The fact that my friends still tag me with the name, "Oma Optimism" from time to time is actually quite flattering considering what they have had to work with.
Regardless of the state of optimism I may or may not be living in, what I am learning is that optimism does not equal joy. Joy looks very different from optimism. Optimism is looking on the bright side, seeing your cup as half full, being generally upbeat, perhaps even 'sunny.' But joy is a whole other entity. Joy is all those things, but top that with choosing to have a steadfast faith and hope in the Lord in the midst of trials, rejoicing in Him through pain and suffering, and giving thanks to God for hardships because of how they mold and teach us. I have the utmost admiration for people who are able to do this without doubt, hesitation, or questioning. I am striving to be one of those people...day by day...
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