Consider it all joy...

Today, I find myself musing about joy, books, creating, work, and so much more.

At the beginning of the Bible study that I'm doing at my church, the author says that joy is our birthright in Christ. What a beautiful thought. Joy as a birthright. That has been sticking with me over the last few weeks.

I love to read. I can and will literally devour books day after day. Now that I'm nursing, I find this especially true because I'm sitting still for hours each day without the ability to get up and do something. So...I read.

Wouldn't you think, then, that these endless hours of reading would fill me to the brim with joy? Most of the time, they do. However, sometimes I find myself swallowed up by the waves that I once sailed. When I am only taking in without in turn creating, I drown. My joy in reading is stolen when I don't turn around and create or do something with what I'm taking in.

Sometimes I forget that the creating, the doing, is joyful. Madeleine L'Engle says it this way: "Our work should be our play."

I was just recently speaking with a friend about this. We both agreed that our hardest work, the thing that takes the most energy and time and risk is also the thing that is the most rewarding, the most joyful. For me, that thing is writing. It's sad that so many young people don't understand this. (I can recall many instances of my past students saying that they wanted to have a job where they didn't have to work; they just wanted the easy life, to play.) "Our work should be our play." Our work should be our joy.

In the grand moments of inspiration when I'm swept up by the story...joy. In the work of revising...joy. In the cleaning of the kitchen...joy. In the changing of a diaper...joy. In the waking up tired to nurse my hungry boy...joy. In the reading of the Word...joy. In the moments with friends, worshiping...joy. In the reading of good books...joy. In the remembering to photograph my boy each day...joy.

Consider it all joy.

My husband planning a lovely 27th "Napa Night" birthday party for me.
Consider it all joy.

My beautiful, sleeping boy.
Consider it ALL joy.
In Christ.