Joy Contest...

My wonderful mom is hosting a contest on her blog (click here to check it out)

I have decided to enter it...I will quote the "rules" of her contest:

"Here's the details of my "contest":  Since my blog deals with the ideas of finding joy and faith, I thought that I would ask my readers to write about a time in their life where God met them in the most surprising of ways.  It could be a time of peace in the midst of a trial, a time of contentment while doing housework, a time of release, etc....you get the picture.  Write about it, and if you have the means post a picture that reflects that time.  Images are huge to me."

So for me...a time of joy. I can feel joyful, yet a nagging presence of something difficult may still bar me from true joy. Such as pain, sorrow, anger or confusion. So before I embark upon this, I need to ask myself, what is joy?

The times that I am the happiest are varied, I may be blogging, writing, chatting, drawing, emailing, singing, dancing, talking etc. But I think that happiness varies greatly from joy. Here is the definition of joy.

Joy

–noun

1.	the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation: She felt the joy of seeing her son's success.

2.	a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated: Her prose style is a pure joy.

3.	the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.

4.	a state of happiness or felicity.

 (excerpted from Dictionary.com)

Even there, it seems like it doesn't differ much from happiness. But there is a difference. We could be happy about something little, like finding a missing shoe or eating a piece of chocolate. But do you fell great rapture over something as insignificant as that? Do you experience great pleasure and gladness in things like that? I would have to answer, no. True, we could get excited (I know I would over the chocolate) but it isn't joy.

One of my mom's post's sums joy up pretty good, I'll quote her again:

"What is joy? If joy was directly related to circumstances than I should have none. And yet there are moments where I feel joy. Where I feel alive and hopeful.  Today's society places so much emphasis on happiness. "Are you happy?" We are bombarded with images about products, books, seminars, etc...all guaranteed to make you happy. Is happiness the same as joy? Are they even related? The Bible talks multiple times about joy and yet fails to mention the word happy. To me, joy is deeper. It is an emotion that isn't linked to circumstances. Joy is a way of living that rises above the chaos. When there is joy in my heart there is also peace. In Philippians Paul writes, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) Three years ago, during the week my husband just had surgery for cancer and the same day my grandfather died and when I realized we would be out of work for months and our checking account was empty, I felt joy. A light snow was falling that December day. My husband was sound asleep, our three month old baby nestled in my arms. A dear friend called me worried that I was a wreck, but was surprised to find me joyful. Was I joyful about all the circumstances? Nope. Yet I felt this intense joy and peace. Like I knew that God was right there, holding my hand, holding our family up under HIS wings. I was safe. It was this joy of God. A joy that I couldn't manifest no matter how many books or self-help techniques I tried. This joy was rooted in my Father."

That's joy! That is the rapture that you experience from true joyfullness. It is a God-given gift. And it's precious.

So if I had to choose a time, then it would be the other day.

I think I was listening to Ktis...I don't remember what I was doing, but all of a sudden I just felt a presence; I felt alive and hopeful for the future. I was aware that I had some unpleasent things to get done (such as science homework), I knew that I had had a heated argument earlier, I knew that I had been feeling crabby and discontented, I knew that I had to clean my room and my neglected bathroom, I knew all those things, but I experienced a great joy and hope for the future and the present. At that moment in time I was surrounded by the glow of true joy. I was full of joy, I started smiling and I could feel the difference in myself for that precious time. That is my God-given Joy Experience.

So there, there's my joy story.

Before I leave, I want to mention that "Give me Revelation" just came on the radio, I think it fits for the situation.

~Hannah

(Oh before I forget, here's my joy picture. It's a picture of one of our plants that I took during the summer, but it just radiates and that's why it works for me and for my joy story)

4:59 PM - Dec. 29, 2008 - post comment

Wonderful Post Hannah....

...describing joy!! I love that photo that you took. I remember that day. You spent hours taking pictures of various plants in our garden. And, in fact, you were quite joyful and content over the results.

May you remain under the wings of the Father. And may your days be full of the joy that He gives.

Mom

Raesfamily - 5:34 PM - Dec. 29, 2008

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hello.

Dracula95 - 10:30 PM - Jan. 1, 2009

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I tagged you!!

EowynDernhelm - 10:08 AM - Jan. 17, 2009

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I awarded you! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/AnythingFun/650030/

oliviaf - 8:55 AM - Jan. 25, 2009

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