BE JOY-FILLED

JOY TO THE WORLD THE LORD HAS COME...

and

I think this song should be sung year round.

Last week I hosted a Christmas party at my house for my community of friends.  BEing around these people brings me so much joy because of the joy that they carry within them.  In addition to the redneck wine glasses, I decided to spice things up a bit by hanging a strip of brown butcher paper on one of the windows in my kitchen that read this:

"Joy to the world the LORD has come! What brings you joy?"

Throughout the evening of soup, hot buttered rum, dessert, white elephants, catching up, games of families, deep talks, laughter, and Christmas music, each of us wandered over to the window to scribble out things, people, relationships, places, ect. that bring them joy.  Of course humor ran it's course and we ended up with quite the array of answers.  We had everything from cats to God's grace.  It's still hanging in our kitchen and for the past week I walk by and read a couple and my heart smiles.  The things that I would never attribute to bringing me joy begin to fill my heart with joy because I'm made aware of the joy that it brings to the people I love.

(plates made by my besties when we were in the 2nd grade together... and they are still my best friends)

JOY is non circumstantial.  It doesn't depend on any other variables except it's source, God.  God IS LOVE, and although we are unable of loving completely, perfectly, and unconditionally, this is what we are commanded to strive for.  Scripture even says that we are to keep his commands, and love like He loves, in order for our joy to be made full.

In John 15:10-12 in The Message it says "That's what I have done- kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.  'I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy and that your joy wholly and mature.  This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you.  "

Jeremy and I were having a conversation about joy the other day.  I asked him how he would define joy.  He attributed joy to the presence of peace in the human heart.  In our attempt to come up with the most basic definition of joy, the peace of God was unavoidably at the center of its origin.

If only we could accept the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, then we would be able to experience the Joy of the Lord who came to earth.  Let heaven and nature sing songs of joy-filled praise to Him!

Now these are some joy-filled humans playing the classic game of families....

Coming soon... how shall we usher in joy and peace in 2014!?