First thoughts on 'Joy'.........

With LENT about to start….. it only seems 5 minutes since Christmas….. We have been thinking about what we might do for Lent this year and have decided that instead of giving something up we might take up something positive.  So we are committing  to aiming to do “an act of kindness” every day during Lent.  This does not need to be something big, it could be a simple as smiling at people, or making an effort to say ‘thank you’.  It all fits in with our theme this term of JOY and the 5 keys to a JOY FILLED LIFE. 

So having considered the importance of ‘being CONNECTED’ we are now looking at ‘being a CONTRIBUTOR’, being someone who is able to give out to others and the JOY that comes from that……. My very clever daughter in law Michelle of Eat Pray Pedal fame has just designed 3 new baubles which are based on fruit….. she has chosen dragon fruit for LOVE, watermelon for PEACE and lemon for JOY!!  It’s really made me think about the qualities of JOY again. Personally I love the taste of lemon in anything.  If I have a pancake I am definitely a traditional lemon squeezer….. I love the freshness and zest of lemons. This got me thinking about ‘zest for life’ and ‘exuberance’ which can rise up in us whatever our present circumstances.  This surely is the essence of JOY.  Someone  has defined happiness as dependant on happenings. JOY however is something that is not dependant on things going well, but on the deep knowledge that we are loved and we are not alone.  Kay Warren has written an amazing book called ‘Choose JOY because happiness isn’t enough’.  She is a lady who has experienced many difficulties and tragedies in her life having fought through cancer and a very troubled marriage as well as the tragic suicide of her youngest son. Her definition of JOY is 

“the settled assurance that God is in control, 

the quiet confidence that ultimately everything will be alright 

the determined choice to praise God”

Elbert Hubbard wrote this obituary for dwarf actor Marshall Pinckney Wilder

“Life handed him a lemon, as life will sometimes do

His friends looked on in pity, assuming he was through

They came upon him later, reclining in the shade

In calm contentment drinking a glass of lemonade”.

Hope you can join us on our journey to a JOY FILLED LIFE continuing this Sunday as we eat pancakes, experiment with lemons and learn about ‘being a CONTRIBUTOR’

Have a blessed and joyful Lent!