Saturday, December 23rd Teena Henderson
JOY
“The joy of the Lord is [my] strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10
I am now in my life season where decisions — from furniture choices, to building a handicap access ramp, all the way down to the shoes I wear and the purse I carry — are each made on the basis of what’s safe. Such planning is quite a bummer. Yet, at the same time, this life season is filled with joy. I talk to everybody: Ryland garbage man, check-out clerk at Captain D’s drive-through, receptionist at Southwell Medical Center, toothless old lady at Dollar Tree, abject strangers in parking lots. The little lady at Dollar Tree was buying a pink shower sponge and one placemat. That one placemat struck me: she eats alone. I told the cashier to keep the register open and I would pay for the two purchases. Her immediate wide, toothless smile was brilliant. “I like to help people, too. I do it every time I can.” We connected as two Christ followers who heed His command to love others. One September day, I struck up a conversation with a woman at Little Walmart about how we bony ladies have to wear summertime sweaters in doctors’ offices and grocery stores. I laughed and told her my grandchildren are always teasing about how I talk to everybody, even telephone poles. “I enjoy making little connections with people like you today about sweaters in summer heat.” She looked at me with a twinkle in her eye and said without missing a beat, “We’re practicing for the Kingdom.” Then we stepped closer and hugged — two little old ladies in a Walmart parking lot — sharing God’s love as sister Jesus people headed to His Kingdom. That’s what I’m talking about … the joy of the Lord. This JOY is everywhere. The secret is to understand that Lord God Almighty generously deposits it into the souls of His people. We simply look and we will find it. Intentionally, we make small but mighty connections to people along our daily walk. Let me end with a double-dog-dare for you this Advent season. Build conversational connections with fellow travelers by looking them straight in the eye and just talk, talk, talk. I promise that you, too, will say, “Wow! I’ve found it. ‘The joy of the Lord is [my] strength.’”
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