✰✰✰✰ Finding Joy ✰✰✰✰

​Executive order: be disappointed ?!?

This is what seems to be the orders from mayors and school officials. Every canceled sport, competition, prom, graduation, and regular school day, is salt in the Corona shaped wound of every high schooler and senior. This isn’t really what we are commanded to do, rather we are to be joyful beings rooted in the word and sacraments for God’s glory and kingdom. Here is what I’ve learned: 

I have a list of disappointments that have made me accept our current situation with a loving and joyful heart:

1. First day of school senior year my car didn't start and I painted it so cute for the senior caravan. Spent hours on it.
2. My early release schedule didn’t get accepted. Didn’t get the classes in the order I prayed about and had peace about.
3. I have struggled in calculus for the whole year and wanted to drop out but didn’t. 
4. I was removed from a high caliber research program called Distinguish Scholar for shady reasons and was left to try and scrape by for months when I could have saved the time.
5. I worked for 4 years at 7 science fairs to qualify for the international science fair and was the fourth pick out of only three chosen at two different occasions. (Which means I wasn’t picked) I will never go. 
6. I bought a really nice designer dress for prom because I never treat myself like that and won’t go to prom now.
7. I will not finish school for my senior year but through a computer screen
8. Just on Easter Sunday a tornado came to my state and destroyed several homes.

At this point, I have learned to accept disappointments with a heart open to understand what I cannot now understand. My God is the God of Love. He has conquered death and sin. He knows my heart. Whatever I have in this earthly world it has been given to be and can be taken away. He knows me and everything works together for the good. I need not toil as the birds nor lilies worry. He provides for us all!

Here is the fruit:

1. I was on a retreat team with 18 awesome team members. The retreat was a full house and a true blessing.
2. I got hired at Chick-Fil-A and still have a job that I love
3. I have made great connections working in the lab for the science fair.
4. Thanks to my awesome calc teacher, who really does care about us, I have been making it through calc. i love her!
5. I have a beautiful dress I could wear for a Civil Air Patrol (Air Force auxiliary) banquet. 
6. I applied and was selected to staff as cadet first sergeant at CAP summer encampment 
7. I have amazing teachers who are reaching out and making sure us students are making it and will talk with us as needed.
8. I still have my home, connection to mass, my family, and my friends 
9. We live in a country where education is not illegal
10. Most importantly: My God is the God of Love and He will never leave or forsake me

The Lord has done a work in me: 

In the midst of the sadness and uncertainty I have learned to foster a hope, joy, and certainty rooted not in this world, but in the heavenly one. Following is what I will do to continue that and “go forth.”

Be the example - be the light:

Online classes aren’t easy. I found out my beautiful cousin with aspergers is failing her classes. I am struggling too in classes and God calls me to try my best. In that I need to be an example. Jesus gave his whole self to be an example of how we should live. I have been convicted: I too need to live my life striving to always become an example to others. I am currently working on painting my bible. My next goal is to dive deep into the Bible and lectio divina. Jesus calls us to be leaders of the faith. We first must become leaders of ourselves and make a decision to always choose joy and positivity. If you are struggling with being positive then I recommend the 21 day attitude challenge. I just recently finished it and my life is already much better and joyful. Call out what is taking your joy like I did in the bullet points. You can begin to pray over them and really see how they are made into blessings. Be not afraid and remember that the order that really matters: choose the positive and pray, pray, pray! 

In faith,

Britney Diaz-Roman