Smile :-)

I wanted to talk to you via video blog today, but after the week I've had, I literally look like I've been through the storm and the rain!  Not cute.  So the video blog will have to wait until next week; I've got to get myself together!

Moving along...

Last night I received a phone call from a really sweet lady.  Her name is Sharon.  She called to tell me how, although I'm a little more than a decade older than she is, I am an inspiration to her.  That made my heart melt.  And then she told me something that made me blush.  She told me that she loves my smile, and whenever she sees a picture of me smiling via Facebook, it's almost like seeing sunshine.  Sharon said that no matter how she's feeling, my smile makes her smile.  She made my whole night.

There was one thing my sweet friend said to me that made me reflect back over my life, and led me to praising God long after we'd hung up.  She said, "Your smile is so pure."  Now that may not seem like a big deal, but to me, it was.  See, I used to never smile, and if I did it was fake and forced.  I was always so sad.  Even as a young girl, there was no sparkle behind my eyes, and no song in my heart. 
People would think I was mean because I always walked around with such a harsh expression on my face. I can't tell you how many times people would walk up to me and say something like "Smile; it's okay" or "You should smile sometimes."  But because depression weighed so heavily upon me, among other issues, flashing my pearly whites was uncommon for me.
But nowadays smiling comes naturally to me.  I built a closer relationship with this guy named Jesus, and spending time with Him has changed my life.  He gave me something called joy, and He planted it deep down in my heart.  Because of His love, and His goodness and mercy towards me, every now and then that joy rises from my heart, spills over onto my face, and causes me to smile.  As broken and dejected as I was, nothing but the grace of God could do that.

Yep, He'll even give you a smile.
I'll leave you with Matthew 11:28, it says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  Jesus gave me rest; that's why I smile.
You never know how something as simple as a smile can impact someone's day, or even your own.  So go ahead and turn your frown upside down; you'll feel better...and you'll look so much better.

Enjoy the video below.

~May you live in His love.~