Joy

     There is no greater feeling than having joy in my heart.  For those who walk around with a frown, disgrumbled with life, and have no joy or great pleasure and happiness, let me just say, I will strive to avoid you at all cost. 
     Why?  It is not that I do not like you, but the fact is, you have the ability to remove my joy if I let you.  It is, in some cases, human nature to take on the feelings of others. 
     Let me explain.  When I was working, I often went into the office with a smile on my face and joy in my heart.  I would walk past a co-worker and say, "Good morning!"  I often received a grumbled back, "Good morning..." but I could tell there was no joy to that greeting.  That person just did not want to be there.  I instantly knew I would get no laughter that would lift my spirits further but rather a dissertation on something like, "what's good about the day?"   If I allowed that feeling to pass on to  me or stop and listen to the negatives of life, my joy was going to "fly out the window."  I much preferred to seek out someone who was enjoying what life had to offer.  

      One of my favorite verses is Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." 
There are so many other verses that tell us to rejoice; among them are:

     Psalm 96:11  Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is it."     
     Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!"

     To quote the writer of IN Touch, "When we, through wisdom, allow God to do His work in our life, we will begin to experience blessings, see His power, and feel His love in new ways,  And this new growth brings great joy?"