Advent with Pressed Olives

Day 20

JOY

Have you ever read the book, the art of tidying up?  It talks about looking at our belongings and seeing if they spark joy.  If they don’t, then we should part with them.

It’s an interesting concept to think about how the things in our life might bring us joy. As we’ve read this week, Joy and happiness get confused many times in our minds, and our culture

Happiness is fleeting joy is not.  Joy comes from a deeper place.

There might be some things that we own that do bring us joy. A family heirloom, or something our kids made for us.  These items have deeper meaning than everyday items.

As my mom has begun to purge some of the things that she got from her mom I have taken some of them.  Some of them have very special meaning to me. My grandmother loved Christmas. She decorated her house every year. It was a time of great joy.  She spent time with us, laughing, playing games, staying up late.   

I remember her thoughtfulness when I look

at the things that belonged to her.  It was fun to surprise her with things that you knew she would like because her face lit up with joy.   

Christmas brings us the greatest gift. The angels proclaimed “Joy to the world. “

“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Pictured is a nativity art my grandmother made.  ( except the stable)