“Mom, why do you always frown?”

If I had the capability to insert emojis into this text… I would enter the “LOL face” right here!

My 6 year old son asked me this question a few weeks back while we were doing school. I had just finished helping him with something and I sat down on the couch to write something in our planner when he glanced back at me and asked:

“Mom, why do you always have to make a frown?”

I immediately laughed, “What are you talking about kiddo? I am not frowning.”

“Yes you are. When you get done smiling, you always frown.”

At this point, it dawned on me that he was referring to my resting face!!! The face I make when I am not talking, the face I make when I scroll my phone, the face I make when I read, and probably the face I am making right now as I type! AH! 

I remembered a few years back, a friend of mine told me she resolved to smile more as a resolution that year. She said that in general we walk around with such a sober, smug look on our faces and don’t even realize it. Despite the fact that we are completely happy and content in that moment, our default face is seldom a smile.

I found this difficult to believe. She said, “Test yourself. Next time you are driving and just focusing on the road… look in the rear view mirror at your face.”

So the next time I was driving, I did this. And guess what!? I looked annoyed with the world, though the truth is I was totally in a good mood. No wonder why road rage is so prevalent! We all look mad at eachother. Well not all of us, but I definitely fall into that category. (Some people are natural smilers… unfortunately, I am not one of those people).

That was years ago that my friend had pointed this out to me, and at the time I tried to be more intentional about my resting face. Welp… after the little guy’s comment, I think it’s safe to say that I am back to my old habits!

So what is the point of all of this gibberish?!

Well I don’t know about you, but I really want my kids to remember me as generally being joyful. I preach to them that a person who has accepted Jesus into their heart can learn to be filled with JOY no matter what his or her circumstances are (not necessarily happy, but JOYFUL see Philippians 4:10-13).

This doesn’t mean I need to walk around with a fake smile all day, but I do need to try harder to have my exterior facial expression match my interior heart attitude. Which is JOY! No I am not always in a good mood, but I am always JOYFUL because of the truth that is in salvation. No matter what my mood, I can think about the truth of salvation and what Jesus did for me and I quickly revert back to a heart of JOY.

If you struggle with this too, here are a couple ways to help yourself SMILE more:

1. Tell your kids and/or spouse what you are resolving to do. They will surely keep accountable!
2. When ever you go in front of a mirror… do a smile check. Or simply when you see or think of a mirror, let it be a reminder to smile.

I always feel blessed when a stranger smiles my way and I am sure strangers feel the same way when they receive a random smile! Let’s all resolve to smile more! If you don’t struggle with this, keep on smiling!! You are brightening this world!

xoxo

Allison