What gives you JOY? by Heidi Jakoby

Some of my favorite face book or twitter posts are those acknowledgements of unexpected joyful moments. Those moments of joy when you find your keys that were lost, or when a young child spins in circles laughs and makes himself dizzy for the first time are moments of joy. One friend posted some of the most beautiful pictures from the ice storm last year and there was such joy in the sky and sun reflecting in the ice and snow.

Last night my husband and I discussed the readings I posted earlier this week and a beautiful advent prayer a friend posted. ( Luke1: 68-79 and Philippians1:3-11)


It was fascinating to talk about what brings us joy and to find out that for both of us it is very simple things not the things the media puts out but the things that touch our hearts. He said that the quiet that comes with snow brings him joy. As I thought about it there is a different silence when you wake up to a neighborhood covered in snow. For me it is watching people enjoy my cooking or watching someone un-expectantly smile/laugh when they least expect it and no matter how hard they try to stop they can’t.

So how can we choose our joy? Maybe it is more about trying to be present in each moment of this time of Advent. To allow yourself to be distracted by what is most important and to not spend all of your time caught up in the frenzy of the season. In order to avoid some of the craziness of this holiday season I have discovered some great times to shop and I try and get together with friends more than worry about what will be happening in a few weeks. Take a breath realize what is truly the meaning of the season. Take some time and read these two passages from the Bible again.

Take care not to sit in the darkness, take time to find joy this season. What are the bright spots in this season? How might you create some joy in another person’s life? I know that during this time of year when my friends are struggling I just want to help, but that takes time and effort. What would make a friend who is struggling happy today? Sometimes it is a simple phone call, e-mail and sometimes a wall post.

I hope you remember that you are special and loved. You are important to the world and as you begin each day during this time of waiting, expect joy each day, expect good things to happen and help spread kindness. I know that sometimes I forget that I am special and that I can expect good things to happen each day. I hope each day of Advent brings you a little closer to God.

A friend shared this Advent prayer written by Henri Nouwen:

Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy or your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!”


Amen

Prepare the way, one step at a time. by Heidi Jakoby

Didn’t we just get done preparing for the holiday of Thanksgiving? What are we preparing for now? The next set of holidays. Whether it is Chanukah, kwanza or Christmas you are preparing to celebrate. A celebration is to be joyful, so what is with all the stress? Why don’t we enjoy the days leading up to the next holiday. For me Christmas is a time to celebrate and December is also my birthday month so I like to enjoy December. For many December is a difficult time, of trying to fit everything in, achieving our own expectations, sometimes unrealistic ones?


I recently read an article called “Make room for joy!” by Cricket Cooper in the New Hampshire Episcopal News where she talks about choosing joy. Say no to some things so you can experience joy this holiday season. Find a balance in your preparation and your joyous waiting. What do you think how does one strike this balance?

Today is also World Aids Day twitter has gone red and Alisha Keys is having a special concert tonight which you can see online on YouTube live. You can actually donate to her foundation to help Hiv victims in Africa Keep A Child Alive A very big part of this season is giving, giving gifts, giving back, and offering gratitude. I have been trying to balance the media blitz of Christmas things with the expectant waiting of this Advent season. The waiting for a child, a child that will bring hope to the world, is what some of us are waiting for, and then on Dec. 25th the 12 days of Christmas begin. It is amazing to me that the real Christmas season begins with Christmas Day yet all around us the retailers and media started Christmas before Thanksgiving.

In the lesson from Luke Luke 1: 68-78 we hear about the birth of John the Baptizer who will be the one to prepare the way for Jesus. How have you prepared the way for Jesus and God in your life? Have you considered inviting Jesus and God into your life? Have you asked god to leave and go away?

This is  often called the “Season of Joy” and the lesson from Philippians Philippians1:3-11 talks about joy, how are you making sure you are finding joy this month? How do you find joy each day?

These are some of my thoughts and I look forward to meeting a few of you at Applebee’s Thursday at 7pm in North Nashua on 101A. After this conversation there will be another post with some more reflections and thoughts. I hope this has caused you to pause and take a minute to think about what you want this time to be for you.