Joy

Joy is stalking me today.

The word had shown up probably 30 times already and it was only 10:15am.

I love it.

I am reading A Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I have been reading it for a couple months now. I go for weeks without reading it and then once I pick it up again I wonder why I put it down in the first place! SO good. I am learning to give thanks in every moment in life. Even the hardest times where you think there is possibly no joy at all, there is. It is all about positive thinking. And if you know me, I try to think positively. While I was reading it last night, I read how when you give thanks you find joy. It may be a small glimmer of joy, but its there. If your feeling really down, find something to be thankful for, and you will feel a bit better. And that's the truth. I know because I've tried it. So, I fell asleep thinking about joy.

This morning, I woke up at 6:30am, to a text from my darling friend Sophia announcing the arrival of her baby, Mikayla Rose. Instant joy.

I woke up with a huge smile on my face. What is more exciting and joyful than new life, really?

My whole drive to school, I felt butterflies. Not nervous butterflies but just great amazing butterflies. All I could think was "joyful".

I was listening to my Kari Jobe CD. Which is amazing, btw. And what song comes on next? Joyfully. At this point, just the irony of it all is making me feel joy. 

Joyfully I lift my voice in praise to Thee

With heaven watching over me I raise my hands high

Your Majesty gently washes over me

Make my heart begin to sing, joyfully

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av3thaKk3Ac

I got my classroom ready for the day. Wrote on the board that we would be reading Psalm 16 for devotions and the topic was... finding joy in the presence of the LORD. 

You make known to me the path of life;

  you will fill me with joy in your presence,

   with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (vs. 11)

I talked with the students for quite a while about how with God there is always joy. There is no need for sadness because He cares. He proved that when He sent His only Son to die for us. We're worth dying for. If you struggle finding any joy in life, please just take joy in that. 

I let 2 students choose a song from the Book of Praise to sing the morning. One student chose Psalm 81, "Sing a psalm of joy, shout with holy fervor..."

All day my heart was beating so fast. Normally this makes me anxious, but this was such a good feeling. It was pumping my body full of this joy that I had found.

After school, I raced around trying to get things done so I could get to the hospital and meet Mikayla. I love babies. Just the idea of snuggling a fresh baby gives me goosebumps. She is such a beautiful little girl. So teeny tiny. Instant love. Instant joy. I felt so much thankfulness to hold such a precious, innocent, new being. Hear all those cooing sounds that babies make. Sigh! I am so happy for Soph and Tim. :)

The whole drive home, I could not wipe that smile off  my face. And I hope it stays for a while. 

Give it a try my lovely readers. Look for some joy today. While your driving to work, taking care of your kidlets, or doing your groceries. Find one thing to be thankful for. Dwell on that for a moment. Forget the stress, forget the anger, forget the sadness. Focus on that one little thing for just a minute. Feel that joy. Feel His presence.

-Jenna