Take Joy!
Sometimes finding joy seems like an exercise in futility, like my attempting to climb Mt. Everest. Not gonna happen. Sometimes I stumble across joy, like it’s lurking and ready to pounce at the most unexpected moments. But all the time, finding joy comes along with a sense of gratitude and blessing.
Where can we begin a search for joy? It’s January, and the weather is as uncertain as whether we’ll see the sun this month. Looking for joy at such a time might seem like that exercise in futility, but it also sounds an extremely good use of time. So let’s get to it! Some things that cause me to smile—in no particular order but according to my senses:
Sights: real smiles (yes, there are fake smiles and they don’t count), mamas cuddling their babies, water-colored sunsets (I don’t often see sunrises), quilts, children’s pictures, flickering candles, cheerful zinnias.
Sounds: children giggling, banjos, “I love you,” horses’ clippity-clop hooves, cellos, the tapping of hard-soled shoes on tile floors, bagpipes (I know some people can’t stand them, but I love them), a crackling fire on a cold night, water running in a small stream, chuckles.
Scents: cookies baking (any kind of cookies), berries, the air after a rainstorm, a freshly-bathed baby, apple pie, citrus, freshly-baked bread, wood smoke.
Savors: freshly-brewed coffee, caramel anything, ice-cold water, pizza, apple pie, a dish prepared from a favorite family recipe, homemade macaroni & cheese, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.
Sensations: soft fleece, the nap of velvet, smooth linen, holding hands, petting a dog—or even a cat, coloring with a new box of crayons, a steering wheel taking us to new places, a bead necklace, a favorite piece of clothing, a warm blanket, cuddles.
Experiences: laughing long and hard, kisses, Communion, weddings (that moment when the bride appears in all her glory especially), hugs from family or good friends, good movies (of any genre), music, conversation around a table.
For me, all these things evoke a sense of joy. More than that, though, joy comes from realizing I am my Beloved’s, and He is mine. The relationship between the Lord and me provides the deepest wells of joy. When I take the time to stop and think about what that relationship means to me, joy overwhelms me. Therefore, I can say with Paul in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
A few verses later in the same passage he writes, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) That’s where I want to head this year—toward joy!
Questions: What brings you joy? Why do those things bring you joy? What can you do to spread that joy around to others?