You can slap a smile on your face but you can't fake joy

God sure knows how to make a point to me. 
Yesterday was an interesting day. Oh boy. I'll start at the very beginning though (which happens to be last week). 
For no apparent reason, I've just been feeling exhausted for the last couple of weeks. 


Last Wednesday, I went to see the Doctor (I hate going there). He filled out a form for me to have some blood work done. I was thrilled. 
I've gotten blood work done a couple of other times and was fine with it (pretty much). You just sit there while they squeeze your arm and stick a needle in you; not that bad, right?


When that fateful morning came (yesterday), I had to get up pretty early. 
Have I mentioned that I am not exactly a morning person? I wish I could say that I was...


Well, I got up, hopped in the car, and drove my mom and I over to the doctor's office. 
It looked like a promising day. 
Now, I wasn't exactly what you might call Sunshine Suzy, but I did my very best not to be a Cloudy Claudia when I walked into the building. 
My mom and I walked into the waiting room and I looked around at some of the other patients. I happened to noticed that they were all at least fifty years my senior. And I couldn't figure out why they all had smiles on their faces and little twinkles in their eyes. 


It is beyond me how somebody would smile for no reason while they sat and waited for their blood to be drawn. 
Did I mention I hate going to the doctors?


I tried to smile, I really did. I think I succeeded... but I must say, the joy behind it was a little lacking. 
Realizing I have quite a lot to smile about, I was kind of ashamed of my attitude and wondered what the heck was wrong with me. 
Just as I was resolving to put a real smile on my face, the nurse walked in and called me back. Clearly this messed up my plan to be more joyful [for the time being]. 
I followed her back into a room separated by a green curtain and sat down in a green chair.  I was not exactly excited, but I was fine.


She cleaned my arm off, tied a really tight rubber-band on it, and told me not to look. 
It didn't really hurt. However, after she was done, I felt light-headed and kind of nauseous. I was not going to throw-up (I abhor vomiting). She put a trash can in front of me — that did not help. They wouldn't let me leave without sipping some apple juice. Surprisingly, that little juice helped a whole bunch. I didn't even have to use the trash can. 
She said it was all phycological... I don't know if I quite believe her yet. 
As I was leaving, I remembered my thought and managed to give the ladies a real smile. 


As we got in the car, my mom said, "I guess life's an adventure with you, huh?"
Noting my seemingly wimpish conduct while having my blood drawn, I decided not to responded... the ordeal was still fresh and kind of embarrassing. 
And mom, if you are reading this, I love you and you were right. 


Since I was still a little woozy, I didn't get to drive. 
We then ran errands.
What really amazed me, was that everywhere we went, there were at least three smiling faces (all of which were made up of genuine kindness). My heart melted and I smiled back; wishing I could have a smile on my face for no particular reason too, while walking through a grocery store. (I know that I can... I just don't usually think to)


When I got home, my coke spilled. All of it. There was nothing to do except clean it up. 
I was severely disappointed —  I did not even get to take a sip. What a waste! 
Can you guess what I did?
Well, I laughed. 
I have no clue why I was laughing, because my heart was sobbing on the inside (a little exaggeration). 
Uncontrollable giggles were spewing out of me.
I swallowed these giggles, but I had a genuine smile on my face as I cleaned up the mess. 


Looking back, I'm sure God gave me that joy. If He hadn't, I probably would have sat down and shed a tear or two for my pathetic Monday.  Sometimes it is too easy to forget to give thanks in every situation. 
Needless to say, God definitely made His point. 


1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." That is the verse He brought to mind. 


I've come to the conclusion that you can slap a smile on your face, but there's just no faking the joy behind it. You either have it or you don't. If you don't, God will share... if you ask Him. 


Smile, Jesus loves you!