I serve with joy

It's funny how something comes up in the day and out of the blue someone sends something that is complete answer to prayer and helps you face that something that comes up with the perfect frame of mind. Confused?
Here's my something. I have to go to court and it's because I initiated it. If you know me, you would be shocked. I STRIVE to not rock the boat. I am most content if we're all just getting along. If I disagree with you I have absolutely NO desire to make you see my point. I like peace.
About 6 weeks ago...on the first (and almost ONLY) sunny day in Seattle I had a run-in with a complete stranger. My daughter was playing in the front yard so I had the front door open so I could hear her from inside the house. The dog went outside and laid in the front yard next to my daughter. My bad...no leash...no fence...we live in the city. A man was running on the sidewalk and startled the dog, who reacted by barking. The man yelled at my daughter. I came running outside as soon as I heard the dog bark. I grabbed the dog (who stuck her tail between her legs and laid down next to me). The stranger continued to yell so my momma bear tendencies kicked in and I yelled back. NOT my finest moment. He continued to yell, I yelled, blah, blah, blah.
Then the animal control officer showed up at my house about a week later to give me a ticket. $50 for no leash; $350 for owning a menacing dog. WHAT?! The only menacing thing was the strange man yelling at a child and me yelling back. In fact, I came across a sign a few days back that read "Forget the dog, beware the owner!" and thought about buying it! :)
So I'm fighting the malicious dog ticket. Just saying that makes me get butterflies in my stomach!
Today the court date notification came in the mail...which makes it real and made me get nervous all over again. When I first received the ticket and was considering my options I was completely nervous until a sense of calm just filled my heart. I know it's right to fight the ticket...not because I may "get out of it," but because I'm learning how to be bold and not shrink from the situation (or at least I'll learn SOMETHING from this!).

That's a long way of getting to the point. Out of the blue (I wonder if God laughs at that phrase?) I received an email with a link to a wonderful speech given by a christian woman who has terminal cancer. Her speech was at a women's event (the audience was not all christian) and it was incredible!
If you have 55 minutes and want to be encouraged, stretched, filled, etc...watch this:
http://deathisnotdying.com/eventvideo/

I pray it touches your heart...if nothing else it will explain the title to my post!
--Tammy