I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart....

Right now life isn't at it's prettiest. My Dad through out his back and now my Mom is doing his work for him. When you were little can you remember how you viewed your father? Wasn't he the strongest man in the world; stronger then superman? Wasn't he the smartest Dad in the world? He feared nothing? Don't you remember sitting in his lap listening to his voice boom out of his chest? Didn't it just tickle you? You felt, safe. Like nothing could get at you; not even nightmares! I'm fourteen almost fifteen, and I still sit in my Dad's lap. I still like to listen to his voice boom out of his chest, I still think he's the strongest, the best, most wonderful father in the world!


But, now that you're older you understand a lot more, right? You understand the look of pain. You know that when your brother looks at you with a look of a troubled heart, it cuts deep. Brothers, and fathers are so brave are they not? They always have to be tough. They must be capable of doing "tough manly things", because that's the way the male mind is. (Quite funny, actually.) Now you're older and understand the "worried look" on your parents' faces.


My point is, yesterday my Dad through out his back. Seeing him laying on the floor, wincing in pain is heartbreaking. Throughout the day he made several comments about how he can go to work, and that he's real happy his wife has to do it for him. (Sarcastically.) He's helplessly lying on his back, realizing his helplessness. Realizing the effect it has on his family. Does he cry out in anger? Does he shake his fist at God like Beethoven? No, he's humbled by Christ. Christ is using this sticky (and stinky..) situation to say, "Look, you are relying upon me. It's by my providence that you're not paralyzed. Remember what I said? Remember, "Through Christ I can do all things,"? " Romans 5:3 More then that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.


My Mom made it home ok, and we all sat down to dinner. Afterwards we did some family Bible reading. We read in John about the man at the "healing pool". I was giving my Mom a back rub. I must say at this moment while we were all gathered around the Word joy came knocking at my door and crept into my heart. The kind of joy that you get when you look around the room and everyone you know and love is laughing. The kind of laughter that is so sweet but lasts only for a minute. I get this feeling of joy a lot. Sometimes it creeps up on me as I'm going about my day singing hymns to God. Often times this joy makes me feel like I can move mountains! Sometimes this joy comes upon me along with this thought "How wonderful would it be to be a missionary in Romania or somewhere in the east where they have no Bibles. " Along comes this itch, this itch to witness; to preach the word to all the corners of the earth. Then I come to reality and go why not just on my street? Living in Idaho, here in Mormon country there's plenty of work that needs to be done right here in my subdivision!


Funny how I get this joy right here and now, on this cloudy day (rain's predicted) Mom's working, Dad is in pain, and the screeching of my little sister is making my head pound. I think this joy was a mixture of awe at how much my Mom loves her husband, loves us. She went out and did back breaking work (as you can see) so we can make ends meet. So, her husband can get a rest. Christ tells us: Come all who are weary and I will give you rest. God when He created the world gave us the Sabbath so we can rest and feed our souls. The mixture of awe, the realization of God is in control not me, the love I have for Him and how he always provides for our family even in minor moments such as these when people in Romania are struggling to keep their soul alive because they don't have access to Bibles, the love for my Dad he cares for our hearts and wants them always pointed towards Christ.


I'm positively sure this is how Paul felt in prison, in his EVERYDAY LIFE! He felt this joy, he acknowledged the One who gave him this joy. This is how we as Christians should feel; should act. As humans, we change so much. We love our neighbor at one moment the next we burn with murderous anger. So, if you can't feel this joy at all moments of the day, then make this joy your attitude. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." (Mark 12:30)





~Lissie