Advent – A Week of Sundays – Joy

Greetings Dear Reader,

As we light the third Advent candle we ponder what joy it is to have Christ.  It is one of the things that drive me on my journey.  People ponder happiness but very seldom realize that what they need is true joy. 

We so seldom talk about joy and what it brings us.  It brings me joy to be good to others.  I find my Christmas joy not in the gifts I get but in finding ways to instill joy in others.  It is one of the ways that I carry Christmas in my heart all the year. 

There is so much in the world that is counter to joy.  So much of life is about getting things done.  So much of our energy goes toward work, schedules, and obligations.  If we do not make the effort we will miss the joy in life.

As we ponder joy this week I will be referring to The Little Book of Christmas Joys by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Many years ago someone gave me this as a gift.  I read through it often so that I am reminded of ways in which I can share joy with others.  I will include something from it in each post this week. 

Each evening from December to December as I drift away for sleep I ask myself a question.  It comes directly from the aforementioned book.   I ask myself, “Whose life have I made brighter today?” 

Although I try to invest in others daily with this thought the true benefit is mine.  After practicing this for so long it fills me with great joy to brighten the day of another person.  It is also very easy.  It merely takes seeing others and their needs instead of focusing on my own.

Is this not what Advent is about?  Christ focused on our need for redemption.  He came to bring us hope and that is a source of great joy.  When I focus on making the lives of others better I find great joy.  I forget my own worries and troubles.  I can focus on Christ and the true spirit of the season.  I can find more joy in the journey.

Joy to the World – Written by Isaac Watts, Performed by Faith Hill

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."