First Monday Blessing: Joy

Merry Christmas, everyone! Tis the season… deck the halls… the most wonderful time of the year… jingle all the way… etc.

Okay, but I’m not happy about several pretty substantial happenings and realities.

• The next few years – good golly, Miss Molly
• People who say they share my faith but sure do live it out way different than me
• Extreme riches and power that have evidently become much more attractive than love, grace, and mercy

And, unfortunately, it appears that these issues, the ones that make me anxious and sad, are the very issues that appear to be answered prayer to a cacophony of our collective neighbors and acquaintances.

People pray and are thankful – or disappointed. Or pray and feel like God’s partner against the evils of the world. Or pray, believe God has answered those prayers, and feel mighty smug.

Pardon my snark here during this holy season of giving and love, but just because we pray for something that happens doesn’t mean it’s what God would have designed. It isn’t proof positive that we are right. Even if we pray in good faith. Even if we pray for God’s will.

Let’s face it – when “our guys” win, we’re mighty happy (and usually relieved, just sayin’). We win the award, we celebrate the first birthday, we complete the class. In each case, with good reason, it brings happy.

Truth be told, though, when “my guys” win, it’s never long until I find some other reason to complain, gripe, and find fault. Even the happiness of winning can be dusty and fleeting.

And when the outcome looks like God’s stamp of approval, can we agree?: the world is complicated. Real Christians/Believers/Followers/Jesus People – even those who are friends and serve on the same Women’s Ministry committees – often pray for completely opposite outcomes. God moves in mysterious ways, and it is a bit cocky to think we are always the ones in the know or on the “right side” of an issue. We really aren’t at that pay grade.

So, in the world of “happy,” my lovelies, we cannot ignore what is real. We’re smack dab in the middle of salty-sweet and in one way or another, most of us believe the balance is way off. We’ve got some conflict goin’ on. Some opposites. Differences. And it’s inescapable. Those things on which we differ will affect us all, without regard to how we prayed – or, let’s face it, how we voted.

Starting that third-ish week of November, we begin to say Happy Holidays with gay abandon. But the true spirit of this wondrous time of the year holds the strength and persistence of JOY. While happiness is an alluring fluff of giggles, smiles, and fun, joy will forever hold us close and wrap us in completeness, peace, fullness.

Think about it: we don’t say the happiness of parenthood. We say and feel joy. We aren’t smiling in the hospital and proceed to simply endure children and family life.

JD Salinger said, “Happiness is a solid, joy is a liquid.”

Liz Milani explains it this way… “Happiness is stagnant, joy has a wild and holy flow to it.”

We respond to all that’s pleasant with happiness, and usually it’s a static event, one-and-done.

But we cultivate joy. We feed and nurture it with attention and intention. Joy is not fleeting or reactive. It is a state of mind, a deliberate act of revolution against a world determined to wage war, overpower, crush, subjugate. Joy is resilient to the hurts and disappointments of the day-to-day and unimpressed with temporary good news.

On this first Monday of December, I so hope for your happiness every day. But I pray for the blessing of joy, with its holy flow of steadfast wonder. And until next time, I wish for you…