Finding Joy vs Finding Fillers

Do you have joyous people in your life?  You know the ones that are just so passionate about something, so filled with joy about something, so full of life?  I have been blessed with many people like that in my lives, people that are passionate about God, people who are passionate about their nonprofit, people who are passionate about their children, and even people who are happy just because.  And being around these people is awe inspiring, and it is encouraging, and it fills your cup with that something-something that you need.

And then there are people out there that seem so full of life but when you get past their exterior you realize they're just creating a life full of fillers.  They're not happy, they haven't found their joy, and at the end of the day they have to project that unhappiness on to you because they just don't know any other way.  They're unhappy in their marriage, their kids drive them nuts all the time, they hate their job, and because of that YOU must be unhappy in your marriage too, and YOUR kids must drive you nuts too, and YOU must hate your job too.

And so instead of finding joy in their life, they find fillers.  They fill their life up with unimportant, potentially harmful things they leave them completely empty.  They drink.  They shop.  They step out on a spouse.  They watch too much t.v.  They eat too much.  They spend too much. But they never stop and ask what would truly make them happy.

And they're not just unhappy, they want you to be unhappy too.  They must project their fillers, their unhappiness, their insecurities on to you.  Because if their husband isn't helpful, then how could yours be?  And if they're not happy being home with their children how can you be?  Having multiple children close in ages overwhelms them, you must not be able to handle it.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't have a perfect marriage, my kids drive me nuts, I like to watch t.v. sometimes or go shopping and buy something I LOVE but don't need.  But at my core, what fills my cup are my children, are my friends, is reading the word of God, of loving and being loved.

And I ask what is filling your cup?