Amazing and Complicated Joy

Today I woke up after pressing the snooze button three times. My bed was warm and cozy. Although I was well rested I could not dip my feet into the start of a new day while being so warm and cozy. Needless to say after the 3rd and final snooze I was up starting my day with a nice French Press coffee and a mountain of dishes waiting. We went to a friend's for dinner the night before. Making cupcakes, fresh quac, and lettuce I decided, upon our late evening return, the dishes could wait.

I looked out on the rainy day, washing away, French Pressing and thought of the amazing and complicated joy there is when walking close to the heart of our Heavenly Father. A daily moment to moment walk with Him as life unfolds. I was reflecting on the simple fact that three people from Sunday to Monday shared how they see this “joy” in me. And in hearing the words, each time taking a deep breath, I smile. Wondering, “ how on earth is there joy in me?”

I thought,"Wow joy is to be both amazing and complicated". And if this is what people truly see, then only through my close walk beside God is this possible. Joy!!

One man said, “When I see you, you have so much joy that it makes my knees go week.” Oh this precious 70+ year old man made me blush. And I said, “ The only way to have and experience this joy is through God's Divine TLC.”

My employers regularly tell me how happy I am and they, too cannot understand my joy when they have walked closely with me for over a year and a half with the sadness I face daily in not seeing my son. And I may have said to them that while alone in my car sometimes few bad words over the situation. Ultimately I come before God and know that He knows all of this. And there is sadness, heartbreak and disappoints in ALL our lives. It may be packaged differently but we all experience the hardships of life.

For me it is wrapping every hard and sad thought in prayer. And when sadness tries to rob my sleep I open the Bible and start reading. And always Good meets me. His Word pours truth, with that truth comes hope and with hope comes a deeper sense of joy that makes every single moment and day worth living.

In every day ordinary tasks I have learned to find that peace and joy. When the unexpected tears come I let them fall out of control and even in my moments of sobbing I give thanks to God because He knows. He knows something I do not know and I can rest in that truth, which leads to hope and then joy. A friend will offer comforts for that moment. I have experienced many compliments of being filled with Joy. It is God's heart adopting me a very deep sense of joy in knowing Him. My DNA is His DNA and it's wrapped in amazing and complicated joy.

And in James 1:2 that popular passage starts out with, "Consider it ALL joy...." And thus I am called to consider it ALL. I have. And in considering it ALL through the Holy Spirit joy wins.

Amen!!!