An Expert

What exactly is an expert? How do we become experts in the psycho-social sciences? Especially in the world of playfulness, children, disabilities, theology? Isn't there always going to be a case that stumps the experts and our view of what that moniker means? Even the idea of calling psychology a science makes me chuckle, no theories in psychology are ever proven, they are supported. 

Someone saw my 'First Person Interview' in Early Childhood Curriculum for All Learners and promptly asked if I had any helpful opinions on her 11 month old. Because of the context of the ask, I am sure it was in jest, sort of, yet it started me thinking - what makes a person an expert? 

I think I am good at connecting with the needs of all children, being playful, empowering JOY, and supporting both families and teachers. Nothing in there screams 'expert'. It screams 'Good to know and thanks for sharing'.

A friend of mine thought "expert" equaled "common sense" and felt that maybe not everyone has that approach. Hmmm. It seems people either 'wants an expert' or 'wants to be an expert'.

My response and note to consider here, or open up for discussion, "Maybe expert equals acceptance and application."

Create Where You Are

I believe creativity to be an important part of one's self and a way for us to live JOYfuly. Mind you I do not consider myself creative in the traditional sense of arts and crafts, music, dance, poetry, writing, etc. Yet I believe myself to be creative, I just haven't created a word for where creativity expresses itself in my world.  If you have one, feel free to throw it out there.

An interesting use of space is something called street art, where non-descript pieces of our surroundings are discovered by creative talented folks and turned into amazing works of art - These are some of my favorites from the current 2014 collection on Street Art Utopia.

Jesus Others Yourself - Where you are. 

Discover JOY in the little things. 

Live life from a different perspective.

Lean in and dance!!

Escape the ordinary.

Listen to the littlest.

Strength from the strangest places.

The world is our canvas, JOYfuly express yourselves for the world to discover a new perspective from ordinary places.

A Shadow of Myself

When our children have a lot of toys, parents sometimes pack away and rotate them in covert overnight operations to help children maintain their interest in 'new to me' toys.  In the past couple of years I have had the pleasure of going back through boxes from different periods of life. Books, toys, yearbooks, magazines, photos, etc. - I thought everything was important. To be honest I have yet to find much that I want to save as I am in a much different chapter of my life. One item I just uncovered that is eerily still appropriate for where I am on my journey toward a life of JOY.

A poem, handwritten on tattered paper entitled A SHADOW - fast forward to right now and I am taking my author's right to reread, change the title, and post it to the digital world.

START! Again....

Life is about movement and you either enJOY the ride or get rolled. If you choose to get rolled, this may not be the place for you, then again maybe you'll see or hear something to help you flip the switch to being more awesome.

JOY for some is an emotion. JOY for some is a state of being filled. JOY for some is a goal and for others it is something to envy in others. 

As the Christmas season comes into view, JOY will actually be source of pain for some. Imagine that?!

In my world, JOY is an acronym and a goal.

During a discussion at dinner our 97 year old grandfather told us J.O.Y. represents how to live our lives and where to focus each and every day. 

The acronym is where this needs to begin. I hope you enJOY the ride.

As I am learning from Jon Acuff, sometimes it is as simple as realizing we just have to START.