Capturing Joy.....

I was reading a devotion by Mark Nepo this morning and found a phrase that really caught my heart:
"Our capacity for joy is carried like a pod of nectar in our very own breast."
Think of that!  Our capacity for JOY!!!  We carry it around in our own body, in our own breast, in our own heart......now, if only we will let it loose!!! 

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with young moms at Advice and Aid (whom I worked for for the past year and 1/2) and we talked about how "Joy is Always Possible!" 
Joy IS always possible!!  Is it always easy to find joy?  Absolutely not.  However, as Barbara Johnson said very well:  "Pain is Inevitable, but Misery is Optional!!!"

We have the capacity to choose our thoughts, so why not choose joy???
I know life can be extremely taxing....stressful....demanding.....and unrelenting at times, but we still have a choice.

So what is capacity?  It is the ability to receive, to hold and/or absorb.  What if we were open to receiving joy?  Receive joy.  Hmmmm.....

What if we hold onto it?  Hold on to joy.  Hold on tight.

What if we absorb joy???  Wouldn't that be the best sponge we could have???

Seek and absorb joy - what a concept!!!  When we focus on finding joy, what will happen? 
Could it be that the cloud of COVID-19 would lift in our own corner of the world?  You bet - even if it is only for a moment.  It's worth seeking!!!

Seek joy!  Sing joy!  Allow Joy to be part of who your are today - just for the next 24 hours:
SEEK JOY!!!

I know of a place where we can seek joy every day:

Psalm 16:11:  "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of JOY; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."  FOREVERMORE???  Yep!  If we seek Him, we will have joy forever.........times infinity for those who believe in Him!!!  Think of that!  Wouldn't that be worth seeking? 

Psalm 30:5: "Weeping may endure for a night, but JOY comes in the morning!"  Don't things always look better in the morning?  Why is that?  Perhaps it is because we laid down the angst for a few hours and did not let it consume us.  Perhaps we curled up into the lap of our loving Savior and let Him know how anxious we are....Perhaps we choose joy!!!

Luke 15:7:  "I say to you that likewise there will be more JOY in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

Imagine being that one that God is pursuing....the one God is chasing after!  Despite all your fears, all your worries, all your flaws......God is pursuing you to give you JOY!!!

If you have never listened to the song called the Reckless Love of God by Cory Asbury - it is amazing..........I hope you will take a few minutes to listen and watch this amazing artist!!!

https://youtu.be/6xx0d3R2LoU

Remember:  Joy is ALWAYS possible!!!  Choose JOY!!!

Out of the Miry bog....

Out of the Miry Bog…

(Written by Pam Spencer, May 18, 2020©)

Psalm 40

Verses 1-3

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined His ear to me, and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the horrible pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.

He has put a new song in my mouth – Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.

Verse 8

I delight to do Your will, O my God; and Your law is written within my heart.

Verses 11-13

Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord; Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have surrounded me;

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore, my heart fails me.

Be pleased O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me!

Verse 16

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let such as love Your salvation say continually, the Lord be magnified!”

The pit of despair resounds in your head and your heart. 

You ask yourself again and again: “How can I possibly get up out of this “miry bog?”

What will lift this fog?  It plagues me day and night and I ask myself, should I stay or should I go?  A hundred times a day…..

One heavy disappointment jolts me, but years of the same disappointment???  Surely God would not want me to live this way….

Let’s look at the definition of some of these feelings….

Despair is to lose all hope, an utter lack of hope or that which destroys all hope….dashed hopes, desperation, forlorn hope…..hopelessness.  When have you felt this way?  Dashed hopes??? An utter lack of hope?  Not possible!  Oh yes, there is a situation that is causing me to lose all hope.  How could this possibly happen?  One instance at a time. 

One disappointment at a time.  And, when this disappointment comes repeatedly, year after year, well, it rips you apart….it makes you feel unloved and not cared for….your heart is stuck in that miry bog.

Then, looking at the word disappoint – it means to fail to satisfy the hope, desire, or expectation of….to thwart.  And more so is disappointment:  the act of disappointing, the condition or feeling of being disappointed.  UGH.  Failing to satisfy the hope, the expectation.  Thwarting all possibility of changing the situation?  Could it really be that there is NO hope?  That this feeling of hopelessness will not go away?

One more layer to consider:  Mire is a bog, a deep, slimy soil of mud, to cause to sink or become stuck in mud.  So, then you find yourself in this miry. murky, muddy, slimy pit.  There seems to be no way out.  It is almost as if you are sitting at the bottom of a well, like a cistern as they had in the first century.  There is no rope to climb up and no one standing at the top peering down at you and saying:  “I’m here!  Hold on!!!”

There are people hurting this badly….this desperately.  The despair is deep.  The miry bog is real.  The feeling of helplessness compounds the issue and brings a person down to the bottom of the pit.

When you know a person or dear friend who feels this way, what is your response?  What can one do to help?  How can someone diffuse the situation when their disappointment has been carving this rut for years???  What advice can be offered?  What resolution can be found? 

Open communication has to occur.  Understanding at a very deep level must start to immerge.  Awareness has to come to the surface.  The mud must be cleaned off.  The slim needs to be dissolved.  Resolution must become the expanse on which to stand.  No more hiding the hurt.  No more sweeping the problem under the rug.  No more patiently hope for a change.  The volcano from unresolved anger must be addressed.

So, how does that happen?  Where to begin?  Falling on your knees in prayer is a beginning.  Even if you have prayed for YEARS to no avail, do not stop praying!  God is listening.  He hears you.  He sees you.  Do NOT give up hope!

HOPE!!!  Ahhhhh, yes!  There is a GOD of hope that is hovering…..waiting to hear your prayer again…..longing to fill that desperation, that hopelessness and heal that disappointment, bitterness and anger.  Longing to allow HIM to resolve the situation.

Romans 15:13 says: “Now may the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

We have a God who cares.  We have a God who wants healing.  Even if we are at the point of NO return, we have a God who can restore.  Yes, I said restore.

It is NOT an easy task.  It is NOT an easy fix.  It will take work and hard work at that.  It will take humility.  It will take trust.  It will take time. 

But this God of hope WILL restore you.  He will lift you up out of the miry bog.  He will bring you peace.  And, yes, He will bring you joy!

Trust Him.  Turn it all over to Him.  Again.  And, again.

Be open, be honest, be direct.  Allow the flood waters of healing to wash over you.  Allow restoration to begin. 

Matthew 7:7 says: 

“Ask, and it shall be given to you.

Seek and you shall find.

Knock and the door will be opened.”

Even if you have asked for YEARS, ask again.  Even if you have sought resolution for YEARS, keep seeking.  Even if you have knocked on the door of understanding for YEARS, keep knocking.  Do NOT give up hope!!!

God answers Knee mail.  Trust Him.  Do NOT give up. 

Just Sitting on a Rock....

Today's inspiration comes from Luke 5:16 "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

Have you ever just needed to go and sit alone somewhere to think?   To calm yourself down? To pray?  Well, how about a rock?

When I was growing up in Columbus, OH, there as a beautiful park named the Park of Roses.  I spent hours there!!!  Walking through many acres of green grass, walking through the woods, playing tennis, climbing on the playground jungle gyms and swings, wading through the creek, and stepping gingerly across a drain pipe over the creek to reach the part of the park where all the exquisite roses were blooming!  

Once, when coming up the bank from the creek in a new place, I found a large rock that had a poem on it at the entrance of the Rose Garden.  It read:

"The kiss of the sun for pardon,

The song of the birds for myrth,

One is nearer God's heart in a garden,

Then anywhere else on earth."

(Poem by Dorothy Frances Gurney)

The poem was put there by a lovely lady that I did not know.  But, I found out who she was and why she had placed the plaque there - in honor of her late husband.  I loved this poem the first time I read it!!!  And, I came to know Anna Brial for just a short while before she passed away.  And interestingly enough, Anna ended up coming to my wedding which took place in the Park of Roses in 1980.  All because of a rock!

I sat on it sometimes for hours........thinking, reasoning things out, talking with God.  Away from all the hustle and bustle of life.  Just sitting on a rock, contemplating life!

I wonder if Jesus did the same sometimes.....I know He prayed a lot in places where no one else was, and many times in a garden.  But, did He just sit and contemplate life there too?  I tend to think so.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, thank you for being my Rock!  And, thank you for withdrawing away from the crowds and the hustle and bustle of life to be with Your Father.  I am grateful for your example.  Thank you for holding me.  

Every day.

Tree trunks and branches....

With all of the roller-coaster spectrum of emotions many of us are facing during this COVID pandemic, I wanted to share a great analogy I learned today from Our Daily Bread devotional.  Tree trunks and branches - how many of you are living in the branches?  Feeling swayed by stress right now?  Feeling overwhelmed?  Trying to home school, trying to find a job, trying to find activities to fill the hours, trying to figure out how your finances are going to make it through this time, trying to find "Normal," and trying to NOT go stir crazy???

Think about a tree.........the trunk is solid.  Anchored in the ground.  Roots running deep.  And, growth occurs without us seeing the visible evidence every day.  Trunks don't move in the wind.  They stand tall and sturdy.  They are rooted and grounded.

What about the branches?  Do they sway in the breeze?  Do the branches bend when a storm comes?  Certainly!

When life is like a wind blowing at us from every angle as it is right now, we seem to sway with the emotions that mount up!  What if we look out the window at a tree trunk and try to be a bit more like it? What if learn to be a strong, sturdy trunk?  Rooted, grounded.

What if we stand on the promise of the Bible that we are "rooted and grounded in Christ's love?"  (Ephesians 3:17)  What if we allow the wind to blow through our branches and bring us a sense of security knowing that the trunk is immovable?  Christ is the solid ground we stand on.  Christ, not our own volatile emotions.  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8).

Did that sink in?  Forever.  Grounded.  Rooted in love.  Always.  Even when the winds of COVID blows through our lives, there is a force that is immovable.  Unquechable.  Unstoppable. 
Let the winds of His love blow through the branches of your life only to take you to the one place where there is solid ground.

Special....

What makes something "special?"  Is it something that surpasses that which is common or usual?  Is it something "Exceptional?" Or is it something that is distinct and one of a kind?  It is something distinctive indeed.....sole, specific and unique! 

Well, that is my niece, Michelle!!!  Today is her 40th birthday...........which is a very special day for our family!!!

Michelle is the oldest of three girls........born in April.......the first child to my sister and her husband, the first grandchild to my mom and dad and the first Great-Grandchild to my grandparents, Gramps and Grami. 

What a special day it was...........April 26, 1980.  A day full of joy and happiness!!!  A day filled with love!!!  A day to remember..............

What makes Michelle special?  Many things!  She is gorgeous, intelligent, flexible, adaptable, kindhearted, hard-working, industrious and wonderful!!!  She, like Mary Poppins can make ANY day special! 

SUPER-CAL-I-FRAG-I-LISTIC-EX-PI-AL-I-DO-SIOUS!!! Yep!  That's Michelle!

Just walking with her and her doggie, Luna is special. Sharing a cup of coffee at the Mad Llama coffee shop is special.  Sharing lunch at First Watch is special. Making dinner at home is special. Even doing laundry with Michelle is special.  You see, it's not the place or the event you share with Michelle....it's the person!  She is the Extra-Special ingredient!!!

When my grandmother, Dorothy was alive, she would call Michelle "The Little Red Hen."  Michelle always wanted to help, always showed compassion when someone needed a little companionship, always offered herself, and was a little ray of sunshine anywhere she went!  She is/was the Special ingredient!

Remember the old song:  The Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog?
 Here are some of the words to the song: 
"Why are there so many songs about rainbows, and what's on the other side?
 Rainbows are visions, but only illusions, and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told, and some choose to believe it,
I know they're wrong; wait and see....
Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow connection;
The lovers, the dreamers and me."

My family has found that Rainbow connection in Michelle......she's a lover, a dreamer and she can brighten up any room!!!  She is the sunshine after the rain......the place where the Rainbow can shine!!!

Thank you, dear Heavenly Father for sending this ray of sunshine into our lives!

Frolic....

Have you ever seen an entire field of baby lambs frolicking?  That's right!  Jumping, romping, prancing and just having fun!!!  We all need that about now and then, and of course right now with this COVID lockdown!!!

So what makes you want to frolic?  Where can you add some playfulness in your life?
Some high-spirited fun???  I know we cannot be with the people we normally would go to to have fun, but think about it!  What would you do if you could?  Who would you do it with?

Make a list!  Make it fun!  Make it long!!!
Make a list of the old fashioned gaiety or merrymaking you would do!!!  Or what your Grandfather might have done!!  My beloved grandfather, Gramps used to pull quarters out of our ears!!! I was amazed every time he did it!  How did he do it?  To this day, I cannot replicate it!  But, it was FUN!!!
So, what is a fun prank you could pull?  What trick could you play?  How might you tease someone close to you to bring a smile today???

Just recently at my former job before I was laid off, one of my co-workers told me that I was not "frolicking enough!"  So, I started going down the aisle of our cubes to say hello, share a smile, and ask about their day!  Who can you check on to see if they are frolicking???  (Ha! Ha!)

How can we "frolic" more???   Look up an old cartoon like Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Road Runner and laugh!!!  Giggle...........have some fun - even in our Safe at Home places!!!
Watch an old Carol Burnett Show, I Love Lucy, Three Stooges........whoever made you laugh!!!

We have SO much to be grateful for........make a list of each time you frolicked...each time you were able to share a laugh with someone you had not seen in a very long time!  Each time you shared JOY!!!

Today your mission should you decide to accept it is:  FROLIC!!!

Resilience

Resilience....the ability to recover quickly.... buoyancy....the ability to resume after being bent out of shape....stretched!  Do you think our country and our world are being stretched right now??  Absolutely!!!

COVID-19 has completely shut our world's resources down!  Boom.  Stay at home. Safe at home. Locked down.  No travel.  Restricted on all levels.  Face masks in public.  Gloves.  Wash your hands and then wash them again.

Medical and healthcare personnel stretched to the brink of disaster! It IS a disaster.....

How does one have resilience in a time like this?  How do we bravely spring back into shape as a person, as a family, as a country, or as our world?

I don't have the answer to all those questions bouncing around in all of our heads and our hearts, but I do know that the buoyancy of faith will help us recover.  Faith in a God who is not surprised by this pandemic.  He has not been caught "off guard."  He is right here in the middle of this with us.  Just as He was on 9-11-2001.

He is there in the nurse who travels to New York City to share her talents and gifts of healing with all those suffering there...day after day....exhausted....spent....
He is there when a son goes to California to help his dad with the remnants of a house completely burned to the ground after a year of renovation.
He is there in the neighbor who checks on the other neighbors and sees if they need anything from the store.
He is there when we share our hope and our strength with those who have lost all hope, lost all strength.
He is there when we sing and share music that soothes our souls.
He is there when a church rallies around their community and offers Scriptures, prayers and healing.
He is there when a group of family and friends go to a parking lot of a hospital to park, pray and praise our Heavenly Father for healing those inside the hospital or rehabilitation facility.
He is there in the sunshine.
He is there on the gray days when our spirits are gloomy and in despair.
He is there in the gentle breeze that touches our face.
He is there when your dog or cat nuzzle up to you or does a silly dance for a treat and makes you smile.
He is there when you can hug your loved ones safe at your own home and have been quarantined for almost a month now.
He is there when you share a funny video on social media.
He is there when you call you sister because you are lonely and afraid.
He is there when your brother and sisters send funny memes to each other about Grizzly bear hugs from afar.
He is there when we are on our knees in prayers.
He is there when we cry for help.
He is there when we weep for those we have lost
He is there when we rejoice over one who comes home.

He is there.  Trust Him.  Rely on Him.  Depend on Him.  Come to Him.  Come to the Living Waters and drink from the well that never runs dry.

He is there.