Joy to the World! He is Risen!

 

I know we don't usually say Joy to the World on Resurrection Sunday, but that is truly when the joy happened!  My favorite song for this morning is "Easter Song" written by Annie Herring and recorded with her brother and sister in the group Second Chapter of Acts (listen here).  Keith Green does a fabulous job with it, too, you can hear his version here. Turn up the volume and sing along!

Hear the bells ringing
They're singing that you can be born again
Hear the bells ringing
They're singing Christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone
Said He is risen, just as He said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the world, He is risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah

Hear the bells ringing
They're singing that we can be born again
Hear the bells ringing, they're singing
Christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone
Said He is risen, just as He said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the world, He is risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah!

Merry Christmas!

I hope your day is filled with joy!

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

 

 

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns
Let all their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy

 

 

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders, of His love

Joy to the World!

I know we don't usually say Joy to the World on Resurrection Sunday, but that is truly when the joy happened!  My favorite song for this morning is "Easter Song" written by Keith Green.  You can hear his version here.  Second Chapter of Acts does a fabulous job with it, too (listen here).  Turn up the volume and sing along!

Hear the bells ringing
They're singing that you can be born again
Hear the bells ringing
They're singing Christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone
Said He is risen, just as He said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the world, He is risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah

Hear the bells ringing
They're singing that we can be born again
Hear the bells ringing, they're singing
Christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone
Said He is risen, just as He said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the world, He is risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah!

Grandparents Day

Happy Grandparents Day to any of my readers who have grandchildren.  I was blessed to know five of my grandparents.  Both of Mom's grandmothers were still living while I was growing up, along with Mom's mom and Dad's mom and dad!  I think the bond with grandparents is very special and I'm grateful for mine.

One of my earliest posts was called, "When Mom Became Grandma."  Mom wrote in her Grandmother's Memories book:  "When I first became a grandmother, I felt like a Queen. I couldn't stop grinning; I got 3 grandbabies in 10 weeks! Ryan, Krysten & Lauren."  Ryan was born on January 11th (his daddy's birthday) and Krysten and Lauren showed up 7 weeks before their due date on March 20th.

 

Grandparents Day has brought a new emotion this year.  It started with a text I received about a month ago from my niece, Lauren:

My heart is overflowing with excitement!  Lauren and Jordan got married in January of this year and now they are going to make my sister a grandmother and I get to be Great Aunt Kathy!  It seems like yesterday that they were this tiny:

Quote Me + This is Your Life

I decided to combine two writing prompts today:

 

January 4 - Do you have a favorite quote that you return to again and again? What is it, and why does it move you?

 

January 11 - If you could read a book containing all that has happened and will ever happen in your life, would you? If you choose to read it, you must read it cover to cover.

 

First, I'm choosing a quote that is not a Bible verse. I have so many verses that I go back to, I don't know if I could choose a top five. Second, I've got two favorite quotes:

Comparison is the thief of joy

~ Theodore  Roosevelt

I can see to the corner, but God sees around the corner... don't worry.
~ Mom's Bible

Let's talk about comparison and how it steals joy.  There are many ways we compare.  We compare ourselves to others.  They have more money, they're smarter, they run faster, they sing better, they... fill in the blank.  So much time and energy is wasted when we compare.  When we compare to others, we overlook what we do have.  Especially as Americans, even in this crazy time with all the upheaval, we are so greatly blessed.  Food, water, shelter.  Things we take for granted would bring great joy to so many around the world.

We can also lose our joy when we compare ourselves to ourselves.  Now, I admit that seeing a recent picture of me that told the true story of weight gain, comparing to my thinner self is actually a motivating tool.  I also know that I have to put in the work (like I did in my 40s) if I want to make a change.  It may be slower and even harder, so I must not compare today's journey to any of the past.  It's today that matters.  That is true about every aspect of life.  It's today's journey that matters - learn from the past, both good and bad, but don't let it steal your joy.

Now on to that second prompt...

If you could read a book containing all that has happened and will ever happen in your life, would you? If you choose to read it, you must read it cover to cover. 

As soon as I read this one, I knew my answer - No, thank you!  Knowing what I know now, if I could have seen all that the past 30 years would hold, my 27 year old self would have freaked out!  30 years ago, I was blissfully engaged and ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.  I don't have a single regret about that decision, but 30 years is a lot of living.  30 years of joy and sorrow, losses and heartache, adventures and good times.  30 years that have included promotions and job losses, blessings and belt tightening.

If I had known that I would lose Rod when I was 30 and Mom was I was 34, my heart would not have been able to take it.  At the same time, if I could have known how God was going to bless me, I probably would have been less careful and possibly filled with pride.

I just want to see to the corner.  That's all I need to know.  If I could see around every corner, I would have no reason to trust God.  But He's been around every corner in my life and with each turn I have found Him to be more than enough.

I can see to the corner, but God sees around the corner... don't worry.
~ Mom's Bible

30 Days of Thanks, Day 12: Sad

I struggled with this post.  What could I write that says, "I'm thankful for the times I've been sad."  We would be selfish, entitled individuals if we never experienced sadness.  We wouldn't have empathy for others as they walk through dark times if we hadn't walk through them ourselves.  I found these beautiful quotes that express my thoughts.  They all seem to agree that without sadness, there is no happiness.

 

 

This one really described it best.

 

And finally...

 

Flashback Friday ~ Press On

I went for a run this morning and I heard an old song.  "Press On" by Billy Sprague has a great beat and the words are so encouraging.  I wrote this post just a few weeks after my Dad passed away.   While I'm not grieving like I was then, this song is still an encouragement to me.  2020 has been a year like no other in my lifetime, but we still need to press on.  Tie your shoes, my dear friend, and press on!

My heart has been very heavy the past couple of days. I'm not a stranger to loss or grief, but that doesn't mean I don't hurt.  I think the initial shock of losing Dad is wearing off, along with the pain of his final days, and the reality of my loss is sinking in.

I headed out for a run this morning carrying that heaviness.  I turned on my iPod and tried to outrun it.  About 3 1/2 miles in, I heard this song:

I was down in the valley
Of the shadow of death
Where the passion for life
Drained like blood from my chest
And it took more than my will just to
Take a step
When the compass of hope
Was gone

In a silence so black
That I wished for the blues
Every desperate prayer
Seemed like Heaven refused
And some days I found faith meant just
Tyin' my shoes
And it was all I could do
To press on

Press on me amigo
Press on mon ami
Walk on in the face
Of the mystery
Though the night hides the light
Through the darkness 'til dawn...
Tie your shoes, my dear friend
And press on, come on

On the ocean so lonesome I was not left alone
Had some heavenly friends
When my heart was a stone
And they carried the heartache and
Made it their own
When the currents of sorrow were strong

And one said
"I pray your memories will not drag you down
Not be anchors but treasures
Of the love that you've found"
And His kind words turned hurt into comfort somehow
And a wind in my sails
To press on

So press on me amigo
Press on mon ami
Walk on in the face
Of the mystery
Though the night hides the light
And the journey is long...
Lean on me, my dear friend
And press on

Though the days seem like years...
There may be giants in our fears...
Ah, but they who sow in tears
They shall reap in joy
They shall run and leap for joy!

So press on me amigo
Press on mon ami
Walk on in the face
Of the mystery...
Though the night hides the light
And the journey is long...
Lean on me, my dear friend
And press on me amigo
Press on mon ami
Walk on in the face
Of the mystery
Though the night hides the light
And the journey is long...
Tie your shoes, my dear friend
And press on!

~"Press On" by Billy Sprague

I was thankful that it was still a bit dark out as the tears poured down my face.  I listened to the song a second time with more tears streaming.  I know I'm not alone is this journey.  Dear friends are walking this road as well, others are facing sorrow of a different kind.  All I know to do is tie my shoes and press on.

What I Miss The Most

This time of isolation has been much longer than I had hoped.  I know people are still getting sick, some are dying, but I'm really ready to get back to a normal life style.  One that includes going to church, going to restaurants, traveling and shopping!

I've continued going to the grocery store and that is the one place where I realize what I miss the most:

Smiles!

It's that moment when you make eye contact with someone as you're both reaching for hazelnut creamer or a carton of ice cream.  You smile as you share the moment with a stranger.  But masks are hiding smiles.  Masks cover our mouths and noses while we try to stay six feet away from everyone.  Many people won't even make eye contact.

I Googled "a smile is contagious" and got over 47 million results.  According to many studies, smiling is considered contagious and is very rewarding. When a person smiles, neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin are released. These chemicals help lower one’s stress, relax the body, lower heart rate and blood pressure, and serve as a mood lifter. A person smiling is also seen as “attractive, reliable, relaxed, and sincere.”

So here are a few smiles for today!

Affliction, Poverty and Joy

My Bible reading yesterday morning included 2 Corinthians chapter 8.  I know I've read this before, but the first five verses really grabbed my attention:

Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 

"In a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty..."  There's just something unusual about reading about someone with great affliction and deep poverty having an abundance of joy.  It reminded me of playing "which one doesn't belong" with numbers, colors and shapes.  Affliction, poverty and joy.  Which one doesn't belong?

I looked at a number of translations.  I really liked these: 

Brothers and sisters, we want you to know how God showed his kindness to the churches in the province of Macedonia. While they were being severely tested by suffering, their overflowing joy, along with their extreme poverty, has made them even more generous I assure you that by their own free will they have given all they could, even more than they could afford. They made an appeal to us, begging us to let them participate in the ministry of God’s kindness to his holy people in Jerusalem. They did more than we had expected. First, they gave themselves to the Lord and to us, since this was God’s will. (God's Word)

Now, friends, I want to report on the surprising and generous ways in which God is working in the churches in Macedonia province. Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor. The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts. I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could—far more than they could afford!—pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians.  This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard.  (The Message)

How did these precious saints have an abundance of joy?  They were greatly afflicted and extremely poor, but they had joy.  Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible says:

Their joy arising from the hopes and promises of the gospel. Notwithstanding their persecutions, their joy has abounded, and the effect of their joy has been seen in the liberal contribution which they have made. Their joy could not be repressed by their persecution, and they cheerfully contributed largely to the aid of others.
If a people have the joys of the gospel; if they have the consolations of religion themselves, they will somehow or other find means to contribute to the welfare of others. They will be willing to labor with reference to it, or they will find something which they can sacrifice or spare. Even their deep poverty will abound in the fruits of benevolence.

Last year I wrote "The Superpower for All of Us."  Joy is the second fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians chapter 5.  Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible describes joy as, "The exultation that arises from a sense of God’s mercy communicated to the soul in the pardon of its iniquities, and the prospect of that eternal glory of which it has the foretaste in the pardon of sin."  Nothing in that description talks about our current circumstances.  There is no mention of finances or trouble.  No matter the situation, joy can be had.  Not because of what we have, but because of Who we belong to and the mercy He has given us.

Fear Not! He Is Risen!

Happy Resurrection Sunday!  I hope you take the time to rejoice that we have a risen Savior!

The greatest "Fear Not" in the Bible happened at dawn on the first day of the week.  Once again, an angel was dispatched with news.  Matthew chapter 28 records:

1) In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2)  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3)  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4)  And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5)  And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6)  He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7)  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8)  And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9)  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
10)  Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Several commentaries pointed out the word "ye" in verse 5.  The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary put it this way, "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye — The “ye” here is emphatic, to contrast their case with that of the guards. “Let those puny creatures, sent to keep the Living One among the dead, for fear of Me shake and become as dead men; but ye that have come hither on another errand, fear not ye."

The Biblical Illustrator by Joseph S. Exell, M.A. said this:
Fears dispelled
Why should not the seekers of Jesus fear?
I. Because in seeking Him, they have an evidence that He has sought them, and found them, and touched their hearts.
II. They that seek Christ should rejoice; for in seeking they shall certainly find.
III. In finding Christ, they find everything suited to banish their fears. Christ has magnified the law. Sin taken away that troubles the conscience; death disarmed of his sting; the grave of its terrors; the dominion of Satan destroyed.
IV. Nothing shall finally separate them who have sought and found Christ

I know I posted this song earlier this month, but here it is again.  My favorite song for this morning is "Easter Song" written by Keith Green.  You can hear his version here.  Second Chapter of Acts does a fabulous job with it, too (listen here).  Turn up the volume and sing along!  You can't have fear and joy at the same time.

Hear the bells ringing
They're singing that you can be born again
Hear the bells ringing
They're singing Christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone
Said He is risen, just as He said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the world, He is risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah

Hear the bells ringing
They're singing that we can be born again
Hear the bells ringing, they're singing
Christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone
Said He is risen, just as He said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the world, He is risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah
He's risen, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah!

Daily Dose of Medicine

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine ~ Proverbs 17:22