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Monday, April 27, 2009

rejoice week, day one.

At Mars Hill, Pastor Mark has been going through 1 Peter and specifically the past few weeks we've been dealing a lot with suffering. In so many ways, unpacking this scripture has shown me how little I really suffer - but it's also shown me how
poorly I handle any suffering in my life.
This morning as he was reading 1 Peter 4:13, I was just overwhelmed with the lack of rejoicing in my life. I have so many good gifts, and I spend so much time focused on my own suffering and the suffering of others, without doing the very important rejoicing in it. So this week - I just wanted to mix it up. There won't be many cute kid stories or pregnancy anecdotes, but each day I just want to blog about a good heavenly gift - in an effort to cause myself to rejoice and hopefully, to add another positive place on the internet for a few days.
We'll just call it Rejoice Week. Creative, right?

............................................................

sooooo...... for Day #1, I just want to thank Jesus for good-old-fashioned joy.
That through relationship with Him, I can find pure heaven-sent joy in the worst of days & I can always hold on for the joy that is ahead. In the past years, I've learned how much better joy is than worldly happiness, and how it comes from something much more eternal than temporary pleasure. This verse comes to mind:

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 53:10

Do you know how often I sigh? Or grunt? Or cry? (Answer: Way too often during pregnancy.)
Today at lunch, the kids and Nick and I were all goofing around and Elias
started imitating me. I was enchanted until he made a face I'm sure he sees
all too often - he scrunched his face up, pinched the bridge of his nose, and squinted his eyes
in frustration. Then, GLORY even did it.
That face makes me ill with myself, but it also makes me
ill with the world. Here - I'm weary and tired and just plain frustrated.
Sort of like my sweet when you take away the golf club.



But there's hope - because one day those of us who have Christ will be those running and singing in Zion - with EVERLASTING joy on our heads. No more sighing, no more squinting in frustration, and certainly no more sighing.

So today I'm rejoicing about joy.
For the promise of it in the future and the glimpses of it here today.
like the feeling when I open my Bible most mornings,
like when my husband puts his hand on mine when I'm tired,
like when Glory raises her hands in worship
like Elias when I come to get him in the morning.
Restored relationships, forgiveness when you don't feel like, laughing through tears,
dancing in the morning when you feel like going back to bed.

Thanks Jesus for real joy.

2 comments:

michelle said...

a good word, sister. ain't nothing like bustin open a can of joy instead of a can of whoop...well, you know.

;) i'm working hard on my angry and furrowed brow. it's giving m premature wrinkles, anyway. and when elias tells me "watch yourrr tonee, mum"...sometimes i think maybe he's right.

little punk.

kim said...

oh jessi,
you have been inspiring me on a DAILY basis lately. i just love reading your blog!
and you know who else i love reading? because of your blog? oswald!!!
the Lord lit that name on fire on the screen the day i read it and i went and bought My Utmost For His Highest that very day. i'm really loving it and i am thankful to you for writing about it! just what i needed.