Repeat the Sounding JOY!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Thanksgiving is past…but Christmas is coming SOON! Let’s sing a song of JOY

            No doubt you’ve already started hearing Christmas music on the radio, in the stores and maybe even in your own car and home.  Have you noticed how many of our Christmas Carols have the word “JOY” in them?  One of the first ones that comes to mind is the favorite “JOY to the World.”

          Here are some of the lyrics:

Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing…


Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods,
rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
 
            Are you repeating the JOY of the Lord?!  There is much in our world today that distracts us from this special joy.  News stories of bombings and terrorist attacks remind us of the evil that plagues our world. But there is good, JOYful news that our Lord prevails and we need to make room in our hearts for Him.  How often do we get too busy, too distracted, too caught up in the world… that we forget to experience true, genuine Christmas JOY!  

           Let’s make this season about seeing JOY in the celebration of the birth of our Savoir, Jesus Christ!

Every Day Should Be a Day of Thanks!

             Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Thanksgiving Day is over….but are we still being thankful and joyful?

            Many of us might have eaten too much turkey and dressing and all the good food of a traditional Thanksgiving feast.  We are truly blessed to live in a country where food is usually plentiful.  We need to be mindful that many people throughout this world are hungry. Our hearts should be not only thankful for what we have, but we should be willing to share with others in need.

              We’ve just celebrated “THANKSgiving Day”.  But let’s not wait for the fourth Thursday in November every year to express our thanks!  It should be a constant condition of the heart.

            1 Thessalonians 5:16 -18 instruct us to “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Do you notice how being joyful and praying, go hand in hand with giving thanks!  That’s the key!  EVERY DAY we should go to God in prayer and thank Him for all the blessings that are ours.  Name them specifically. You’ll notice a sweet joyful spirit bubbling in your heart….a heart filled with gratitude.  Celebrate Thanksgiving every day and you will find yourself focusing on the things that truly bring genuine JOY.

 May we each recognize the joys of Thanksgiving every day of the year.  

Serve Lots of Joy Juice at Your Thanksgiving Feast!

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Happy Thanksgiving!  Hope you are planning to serve lots of Joy Juice at your Thanksgiving Feast!

            For a day that is extra meaningful, greet your guests…family & friends…with a heart of gratitude.  Though many of us will be busy cooking, serving and entertaining, we can still demonstrate an attitude of gratitude. 

            Instead of getting stressed about all we have to do (like poor Martha did in Luke 10), let’s take a cue from her sister, Mary, and concentrate on what is most important….sitting at the feet of Jesus!  He said that Mary had chosen what was better. 

            Why not stop right now and choose what is better. Listen as I read Psalm 100.

            “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness.  Come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

            Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

            Reading God’s Word reminds us to be extra thankful. Now, it’s up to you to whisper your personal prayer of thanksgiving! Make sure it overflows with JOY in the Lord!

Serve lots of Joy Juice at your Thanksgiving feast and notice the joy spreading to those who are sitting around your table today!