Joyless or Joyful

A few posts back, I mentioned that we hadn’t even taken the time to enjoy the 3D printer Santa brought my son. Life got busy. The noise of the world got louder. The to-do list stayed longer than my patience.

Today, we finally set it up.

So far, we’ve printed two small blocks, and as I write this, an ice cream cone is slowly taking shape on the printer bed. To some people, that probably sounds boring. To me, it feels like reclaiming something that had quietly slipped away — our ability to slow down and enjoy simple moments together.

This wasn’t really about a 3D printer.

It was about choosing presence.

The world is relentless with its noise. Notifications, opinions, outrage cycles, political bickering, and endless commentary all fight for our attention. Today, the background noise happened to be the State of the Union. Not because I dislike one person or support another — I’m just tired of the constant arguing and disrespect that passes for conversation now.

So I turned the volume down.

I chose to write.
I chose to sit.
I chose to wait on ice cream.

Life always feels like hurry up and wait. We rush through our days, rush through our meals, rush through our relationships — and then we wonder why we’re exhausted. Somewhere along the way, we forgot how to just be still.

God didn’t forget.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

Stillness isn’t laziness.
Rest isn’t weakness.
Quiet isn’t avoidance.

Stillness is obedience in a culture that glorifies busyness.
Rest is resistance in a world that profits from burnout.
Quiet is wisdom when everything else is trying to provoke reaction.

I’m learning to cut the volume off on my phone. The people who truly need me know where I am. Everything else can wait. My peace matters. My son’s memories matter. The small moments we don’t think are “important enough” matter more than we realize.

So I’ll keep choosing simple.

I’ll keep choosing presence.
I’ll keep choosing faith over frenzy.
I’ll keep choosing to sit still long enough to hear God whisper over the noise.

And for now…
I’ll continue to wait on ice cream.