JOY! | Susan Spess Shay

Did you see what I got? Over there on the far, right hand side. Wait. I’ll show you.

There. Isn’t it pretty?

I was nominated for the award by The Island Traveler. Thanks, IT! And thanks, Connie Wayne.

What is a Hug award?

I’ll bet you thought it’s because I’m such a good hugger. I am, but that’s not why I got the award.

A hug award is given to those who through their words, thoughts and actions gave,

Hope for Love, Freedom, Peace, Equality, Unity, Joy and Happiness, Compassion and Mercy, Faith, Wholeness and Wellness, Prosperity, Ecological Preservation and of Oneness.

Pretty cool, huh?

I’ll be watching for someone to pass the HUG award to. Let’s see. Whooo will it be?

I picked this up over there, too. Cute, huh?

Look again at the heart/globe. When I saw it, Matthew 28: 19-20 came to mind.

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Those are Red Letter words–Jesus is talking.

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with Gladness. Come before His presence with singing.

That’s verses one and two of one of the first Bible verses I memorized as a kid. Susie Lunsford and her friend (Sherry Crosier, I’m thinking) decided to have a Bible school in Susie’s garage one summer.

I think there were four of us “students.” Susie and her friend were only a couple of years older than me and one of the other girls, but under their teaching, we all learned the 100th Psalm. King James Version.

Other versions say it different ways–

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. NIV

On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. The Message.

–but they all say the same thing. Make your joy for all of life known to the Lord!

For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. Col. 1:16 The Message

You can’t do that with a frown on your face. Can’t do it with a whisper. You have to open up your heart and your mouth and shout it.

Remember the song, JOYFUL, JOYFUL, LORD WE ADORE THEE, written by Henry J. van Dyke in 1907? He does a beautiful job of saying what we feel.

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,

God of glory, Lord of love;

Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,

Op’ning to the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;

Drive the dark of doubt away;

Giver of immortal gladness,

Fill us with the light of day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wNmlrdCBkE&feature=related