PURE JOY

"State to yourself that you believe happiness to be a spiritual gift, and that this gift is already within you. It is there by right of your being alive. The more you affirm the spiritual side of your happiness and your spiritual right in having it, the sooner you will have results."                                                                    Raymond Charles Barker,     --The Power of Decision

Just recently my Joy was rejuvenated. I hadn't really noticed it was missing until it showed up in me quite unexpectedly. I was sitting at my patio table sipping a cup of coffee, when I looked up and saw several hummingbirds dancing around the feeder taking turns drinking of the nectar. A smile came to my face, and I vibrated with joy. I thought about all the ways I experience joy: laughing with friends and family; taking a morning walk; delving deep into inspirational reading; watching reruns of "I Love Lucy", to mention a few. So, I decided to include Joy into my daily spiritual practice and now, along with my gratitude journal I include a Joy and Wonderment entry.

What brings you Joy, and how can you share it with others? Perhaps it is actually a form of service to others you meet along your daily path. The smile you share; words exchanged as you wait in line at the grocery store; helping your neighbors when they look like they could use a hand, all are ways to exercise our Joy muscles. Expressing Joy gets in the way of negative thoughts, or talking about all the things that may not be working the way we want them to. Be bold, try to find  friends and family you could write to or talk to on the phone or find a way to share some random acts of kindness. Let's let our Joy bubble out to world around us.

"What we place our attention on is what shows up in our experience. It's amazing what happens when we decide to spend our lives in the service of others. It's hard to feel angry sad or lacking, when you look for ways that can help others."                                                                                                                                           Life's Garden Grows,   Sandra Lindsey Smith

Joy is a wonderful way to share with others.  What things do you do to share joy. Are you a joy to be around or you somewhat cranky? Strive to share the best of yourself with a little love and laughter.

Love and Light,
Rev Sandy Smith

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