Joy

I have joy on the mind today.  This is weird because it was the first day back to work today.  No students, only teachers.  I'll be honest and tell you that I spent most of the day missing my children.  I wondered what they were doing.  I found out that my daughter slept late.  Let them sleep! They are growing!  I remembered sleeping the mornings away in the summer as a teenager.  I used to watch soap operas when I woke up and there were days when I ate a ham and swiss with tomatoes and lettuce, mayo, oil and vinegar and salt and pepper from the corner deli.  I would get a bag of chips and Mystic flavored sparkling water.  It was really some sort of mango soda but it went with my sandwich perfectly. Is there nothing better than sleeping until noon and then filling up your belly with wonderfulness on a crusty, sesame seed, Italian bread?  Mmmmmm!!!  Yum!!!! That's joyful!

Nehemiah 8:10 says, "Then he said to them, 'Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord.  Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'"  The important part of the this verse is that God's joy is my strength.  Alleluia!!!  In the Bible, they were talking about remembering God after the Babylonian exile.  They discovered a day to worship God in.  Doesn't it sound like a feast day?  Eat the fat?  Drink the sweet?  Definitely some sort of celebration is going on.  Having God in your life is good!  God is on my side.  This is a good thing!

Jesus helps us.  I keep on thinking about God in my life.  There is a lot of things that I don't have.  There are a lot of qualities that I don't possess.  This is apparent to me as I date and wonder what makes me so repulsive to date.  I think it's because I may be too young-looking for my age.  I may be too immature for a 'real guy.'  Am I too pretty?  LOL!!!  Yes!!!  I'm thick as a sirloin.  Guys don't like that.  Maybe I'm too educated or too smart.  Maybe my hair is too curly and too much like a mermaid.  No, I love myself.  I love how God loves me.  I don't despair.  I don't get too upset.  I have the Creator of the Universe in my life and in my corner.  He says He'll take care of everything.  He says that He has a place for me when I go home.  I belong with Him.  So... how can I not be joyful?  Praise the Lord!  I cried.  I don't think I could stop crying.  I cried, big wet tears of joy.  Now I am sitting here writing and getting ready for my next work day.  How do I feel?  Strengthened.