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Health & Fitness

Clever Little Reply

So what does nice weather in March have to do with the spiritual gift of joy?

Clever little reply, or something more? It goes like this:

Somebody says to me, “What beautiful weather! It’s unbelievable.” And without missing a beat, I scoff, “Yeah, well we’re gonna pay for it.” Why do I say that? Is it just a throwaway line that I’ve heard before and I whip it out thinking I’m clever? Do I have some subconscious insight into meteorology and know that unusually nice weather causes severe storms or blizzards? Do I believe that undeserved nice things (like beautiful weather in March) demand a pound of flesh to keep the universe in balance?

Maybe I’m a realist at heart and I know that just as easily as the nice things in life come, so too do suffering and pain. I’m thinking that maybe it’s something more. It might be my sense that enjoying things that you didn’t work hard for is like cheating. To really appreciate and lavish in something, it needs to be borne out of a little blood, sweat and tears on my part.

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Here’s the funny thing. I think I’m wrong. To be clear, I’m all for enjoying the benefits of hard work and dedication. But as I get older, I’m beginning to realize that everything around me is more delightful than I ever imagined. The most beautiful moments and experiences haven’t come from my hard work and efforts. These moments of joy have come from simply noticing and appreciating life around me.

Our scripture theme at this year is about joy.  I’ve come to learn that true joy, faith-based joy, isn’t of my making. It has nothing to do with how many hours I work, how many degrees I have, or how many clever responses I can pull out of my back pocket. This particular kind of joy is a spiritual gift. It comes from God and requires no payment other than acceptance and gratitude. So next time you comment to me about the beautiful weather, my response will be, "Yes, what a gift!”

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