JOY!

Such a small little word with such huge meaning. This time of year brings such JOY to my heart in so many wonderful ways. Anyone who knows me, knows that Christmas is my favorite holiday. I have such cherished memories from Christmas growing up. The day after Thanksgiving, our family always began the Christmas season by setting up our tree. It had colored lights and a star on top that would glow over the room as I would dance to Christmas music and force my poor brother to watch my performances. Bless him! Mom and Dad always had the house decorated beautifully with every inch of house having at least one Santa or snowman. Dad still makes a new Santa every year in his wood shop and I have many of his Santas covering my own house. Our house was always filled with the excitement, JOY and anticipation of Christmas, Santa coming, and celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
So back to JOY! Where does my JOY come from? I have been asked this question a handful of times over the past few years. JOY is a word I would use to describe how I felt when Chris asked me to marry him over 10 years ago. It is a feeling that I had when we moved into our first home in Hawaii and sat on the cold tile floor because we had no furniture but we were together, laughing, and loving. JOY is what I felt when Chris came home from deployment the first, second, third and fourth time! JOY is when I sat down on the bed and told Chris that we were going to have a baby! JOY is when I was able to hold Luke for the first time and kiss him and tell him that I was his Mommy. JOY is the moment the doctors told us that Luke was not going to have major surgery! JOY is lying on the table at the doctor's office and the ultrasound tech telling us "It's a girl!" JOY is bringing Hayley home from the hospital and introducing her to Luke for the first time. JOY is when Chris leaves me a note on the counter telling me just how much he loves me, after all this time. JOY is watching my parents and Chris's parents with my children and the special bond they have together. All of this is JOY, but it is not the source of my JOY!
Jesus is the only true JOY. He is who sustains me even when life doesn't look like what the world tells us JOY should be. I was taking a Beth Moore Bible study years ago and a comment she made about JOY has stuck with me. She said that if we look to people for our JOY, they will fall short somewhere. We are all sinners and make mistakes, and if we count on our husband, wife, children, mother, father, sisters, brothers, friends......we will be disappointed at some point. But when we find our JOY in Jesus, the only One who is perfect and always faithful, we will never be let down. It doesn't mean that bumps and bruises in life won't happen, but Jesus will be there to help us pick up the pieces. Jesus is our ice cream sundae and all the blessings He gives to us (family and friends) are just the sprinkles on top!
JOY to the world the LORD is come! Let us remember where our joy comes from this Christmas season.

But the angels said to them, "Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great JOY that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2: 10-11