We’re looking into updating our bathroom, so naturally, I’ve spent a lot of time scrolling through fixtures, paint colors, and all the little details that make a space feel just right. But this morning, I stumbled upon something I never knew I needed—a chicken toilet.

Yes, you read that right. A majestic, feathered, clucking masterpiece of a toilet. And now I can’t stop thinking—how amazing would it be to start each morning with this glorious creation staring back at me? Wouldn't it be impossible to have a bad day after that?

Here’s a screenshot, in case you need a little extra joy today:
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Seriously: would you ever have a bad day if you woke up to this each morning?

Now, while I probably won’t be adding poultry-themed plumbing to the bathroom (it turns out SOMEONE in my house doesn't think it's as great as I do), it got me thinking: What small, unexpected things bring you joy? Sometimes, we don’t need something grand—just a little reminder to laugh, to be delighted, and to embrace the unexpected.

Joy doesn't only come from vacations, major accomplishments, or perfect circumstances. More often, it's found in the small, silly, and unexpected moments that catch us by surprise. The challenge is, we don’t always leave space for those moments to happen.

What if we made room for joy on purpose? Maybe it’s playing a favorite song first thing in the morning, wearing the fun socks just because, or pausing for an extra moment to appreciate the warmth of a cup of coffee. Maybe it’s watching a funny video, taking a detour just to see the sunset, or sending a ridiculous meme to a friend who could use a laugh. My favorite is to do a search for "the top 10 funniest parent tweets last week".

Joy doesn’t always appear on its own—we have to cultivate it, look for it, and sometimes even chase it down.

So my wish for you this week, Reader, is to make time for joy. Schedule it if you need to. When you do, you start to see that God has woven joy into the fabric of our everyday lives. It’s there, waiting for us to notice. That's the fiLLLed life.

Live a fiLLLed life, Melissa ​