Being Joyful Always

There is no way around it, the Christian life here on the earth is a great intertwining of sorrow and joy.

We can’t escape the sorrow of sin or of sickness, the sorrow of financial collapse or of oil spills. But if the eyes of our hearts are open to the gospel – oh what good news! – we also cannot escape the great joy there is in knowing God.  In knowing our sins are forgiven. In knowing He will not leave or abandon us here. And in knowing His work is complete, but not yet fully done.

In fact, He is at work in this sin-stained, money-loving, environmentally damaged world.  He’s carrying out His plan to make all things new and glorious once again.

Pastor Scotty Smith described the gospel this way in a letter to his friend Tillian Tchividjian: “The gospel is God’s passionate, joyful, covenant commitment to make all things new through the person and work of his Son, Jesus, and by the power and presence of His Holy Spirit. ‘All things’ include both a people and a place - the Bride of Christ, and the new heaven and new earth.”

Through out the Bible we find commands to be a joyful people here on this earth:

“Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, rejoice!”
“The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.”
“Serve the Lord with gladness.”
“You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace.”
“The Lord will rejoice in doing you good.”
“Rejoice, for your names are written in heaven.”
“These things I speak, that your joy might be full.”
“The disciples were filled with joy and the Spirit.”
“Rejoice in hope.”
“The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy.”
“We rejoice in our sufferings.”
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
“The fruit of the Spirit is joy.”

Sorrow and joy.  The first need not prevent the other. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess 5:16-18

Thanks for stopping by from my devotion for today at Proverbs 31.

Feel free to leave a prayer request, a praise, or both. And have a joyful day!

Thankful for the protection & freedoms afforded me by our armed services.

Happy Memorial Day.

School House Rock

Several years ago my husband and some fellow faculty members formed a band for a student-faculty talent show at the university.  Since they were all profs, they called themselves The Schoolboys.  Pretty soon the university was asking them to play various events through out the year. And then people in the community started asking them to play outside campus. So now, about once a month or so, they “gig.”

Tonight they played at Sunset Grill on the rooftop patio from 7:00 until 10:00.   I took pictures for you.

Let me introduce you to the band:

On bass, Bill DiNome. He’s in charge of student media.

On lead guitar, Dr. Bill Bolduc. He’s also our next door neighbor

On rhythm guitar and vocals, Chair of the Theater Dept., Frank Trimble

On drums, Dr. James Hunt - playing barefoot:  

 

On keyboard, lead vocalist, my other half …

Dr. Rick Olsen, Chair of Communication Studies 

Here’s shots of the crowd on the rooftop patio. Looks kind of like a pontoon boat from here.

 

 

Rick playing harmonica during one of my requests: “Keep your Hands to Yourself” by Georgia Satellites

And here he is tearing up a keyboard solo.

Finally, here’s Rick singing a sweet ballad.  Probably “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone”  :)

Yeah, I’m with the band. 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

PS. Rick also plays regularly in our church’s worship band, and in our home.  His keyboard is in my home office –so he takes requests while I’m working.  :)

Learning the Art of Enjoyment

Oswald Chambers once outlined the wisdom books of the Old Testament like this:

The Psalms teach us how to pray.

The Proverbs teach us how to act.

Job teaches us how to suffer.

The Song of Songs teaches us how to love.

Ecclesiastes teaches us how to enjoy.

It's the latter that God has brought to my forefront this year. In fact, when my husband and I prayerfully chose our one words for the year, we both came up with enjoyment (just in different ways). His one word is "enjoy" and mine is "slow" which represents to me the need to slow down to recognize and savor the parts in my day God has granted me to enjoy.

What does it mean to enjoy God and the life He gives? That's my current driving quest, and possibly the topic of a future book from me.

Other than Revelation, Ecclesiastes may well be the least understood book of the Bible. I've been digging into it for the last six months and absolutely loving what I'm finding there! You may've noticed that my blog redesign even contains a verse from Ecclesiastes in the side bar.

Wish I were here

I’m back from my week studying and writing in Williamsburg, VA.  It’s so good to be home and to see my family again! I missed them. (And yes, I’ve already swept and mopped my floors this morning.)

 

This morning, however, I wish I could still head to my quirky Williamsburg coffee shop.  Aromas sits just on the edge of the historic colonial site and the college of William & Mary - and I spent some time there last week.  I took a few photos for you.

Just outside cute cafe tables sit under an awning on a tree-lined street.  I’d read here in the early morning or late afternoon, when the sun wasn’t too strong. 

There’s an ice cream shop next door and a darling florist shop around the corner. Flags and geraniums are everywhere here by the way.

OK, so let’s head inside and order a decaf  latte  and a biscotti (they have the best biscotti) … 

  

 

 

 

 

 

That’s the owner to your right with the blonde hair and pink folder.

Now let’s choose a place to sit ….

  

Look closely at the table to the left of the door and you’ll see my laptop sitting there. 

They always have snappy music playing in this shop.  Plus, downtown Williamsburg has free wi-fi.

See the guy in white across from my table? He laughed at me when Billie Jean came on and I couldn’t stop bopping my head to the beat – too much caffeine I think.

 

OK, so let’s go doctor up our coffee with some sweetner – and you’ll discover that Aroma’s has a sense of humor.  Here’s the condiments station:

  

It’s a very good thing my children aren’t with me.  I’d hate to leave them to use the restroom and come back to find I’m now in charge of a Dalmatian puppy too!  Yep, I’m gonna miss this place.

Thankful for the opportunity to spend a week’s retreat with God