It Is Good

What a wonderful Sabbath it has been. I went to church in Bruceton to hear my friend, Tiffany, preach. She spoke about joy and stealing joy. It was powerful and uplifting. I cried and laughed and was inspired to spread joy every day instead of stealing joy. It takes so little to do either. How easy it is to see the joy on someone's face when you compliment them. How easy it is to see the joy on someone's face when you recognize them and their gift or talent. How easy it is to see the joy on someone's face when you attend to them in their moments of joy...and in their sorrow. All it takes is a word or a smile or a touch or a moment of attention. And then, how easy it is to steal their joy with a look or a word or an attitude...
God is for joy! Share the joy. It is good.
This evening I went to a benefit concert to raise money for an after school program in Uganda, where Mackenzie Brown is working for a year. The music was wonderful, the selection of songs perfect and the sweet Spirit of the Lord was in that place. I cried through many of the songs, sometimes because of the words and sometimes for the stories behind the words and the people presenting them. To witness that generous gift being selflessly offered for kids that we will never know until we all get to Heaven was nothing short of being in the presence of Holiness. In talking with people after the concert it was interesting to hear which songs touched which people. For me, the most inspiring song was Go Light Your World. (Tiffany, is that the song you were talking about this morning?)Mackenzie's mom, Shelia, sang it with a voice strong and true. It talks about taking your candle and running toward the darkness...not lighting your candle and sitting it prettily in your living room or carrying it to church with you every Sunday.
Running toward the darkness with your candle and spreading joy...that was the powerful message that I got today. And now I have shared it with you.
Light your candle and get out there. Our world is often a dark place, but not today in my part of the world and it can be lighter and more joyful in your part of the world tomorrow if you light your candle and spread the joy that only you can spread in the place where only you are!
It is good.
You know how you often hear that the world is going to hell in a handbasket? Well, the handbasket is empty right here where I am.
It is good.