Some years, Christmas finds me exuberant! This year, I'd say that so far, "quiet joy" is a better way to describe my mood. I'm not sure why...
Rather than dwell too much on the reason, let me simply list some things that I am quietly enjoying.
1. peaceful evenings, glowing lights, packages under the tree (Josiah keeps saying "There's so many!") :), and a beloved dog
2. a husband who, when I called him at work one afternoon last week and asked him to bring home pizza for dinner, didn't buy the $5 pizza I was expecting but went to our favorite pizza place and got my all-time favorite pizza--an unexpected treat
3. a sweet little girl whose hair falls into her eyes and who pulls at her socks til she gets them off and who loves to cuddle with the Christmas teddy bears we have in our living room
4. a wonderful Christmas concert by the Shenandoah Valley Children's Choir--and the fact that this time, we had TWO sons participating in it! David was thrilled to perform for the very first time with the choir :)
5. a Sunday afternoon nap--and funny sleeping positions :)
6. the close friendship between Tobin and Shav--the other night when I went to check on Shav before I went to bed, I couldn't find him in his bed! he had crawled up into Tobin's top bunk (only a twin size, so not very roomy!) and was fast asleep there :)
7. snow! this is something that I'm usually quite exuberant about! but this year, though we've had several wintry storms, I haven't said much about it. I've simply enjoyed it. :)
(before the snow came, the ice fell from the sky and coated everything...the boys thought it great fun to slip and slide around on the trampoline in it) :)
(a day or two later, the snow came)
8. Jeff's willingness to eat, with gratitude, anything I make...tonight, for example, the curried lentils and rice were WAY too salty; but when I remarked on it while we were eating supper, Jeff smiled and said, "Yum. Maybe that's why I like it so much." :)
9. sleeping children who are always a delight to watch...
10. the cycle of day and night and waking and sleeping...and my own cozy bed with a heater blanket :)
Rejoicing quietly along with you. So many reasons for praising the Giver of all good gifts...
ReplyDeleteWhile reading this lunchtime, I came across these words:
ReplyDelete"We could define true joy as a settled, inward posture of gladness in God, which has its source in God the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). This joy comes from God and is focused on Him."
(IT's from a book called Memoirs of the Way Home by Gerald M Bilkes ... Ezra and Nehemiah. This passage I quoted was especially speaking of Ezra 6:16-22)
Anyway, I thought the definition fitted with how I felt, and how I think you described your 'quiet joy' :)
I love that quote, Anne. Thank you for sharing it! :)
ReplyDelete