I was smiling on the inside. But it was not the perfect beach day. It was chilly, overcast, windy, and empty. Even kinda dreary. But still, it's times like this when real Joy seems to leap unexpectedly onto the scene. These siblings were so glad to be on the beach, they couldn't be bothered to notice all that tried to distract them. Watching these two make drip castles amidst the lackluster day filled me that true Joy. It was a reminder that the simplistic Joys we knew as kids are still the Joys we need to seek out as adults. This kinda Joy doesn't depend on perfection. It simply takes gratitude.

All that "Hot Pink Sparkly" Joy is so high maintenance anyway. *

“You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
  at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

”

— Psalm 16:11

*What is “Hot Pink Sparkly Joy”??

Joy is one of the topics in my “Garden Work” discussions. But joy is a tricky one because there is so much we are tempted to reach for in this world in order to give us joy.

Hot pink is one of my favorite colors, and it tempts me. If I’m shopping, I’m drawn to the pink dress, the pink packaging. But that “hot pink sparkly” Barbie’s dream house joy doesn’t quite stick. No matter how many pink outfits I buy, that “hot pink sparkly” joy doesn’t hang around as long as the dress hangs in my closet. Now, I am NOT saying that it’s wrong to shop, and I am definitely NOT trying to take down hot pink as a color! What I am saying is this: don’t expect earthly possession to fill you with true joy. If we want to be filled with true Joy in this life, we need to get it from the Garden.

The fullness of true Joy grows in the Garden where we spend our lives with God. In the Garden, we find Joy in his presence and in his blessings. What does that mean? It means Joy can be filling and satisfying. Joy can be lasting not always fleeting like the thrill of shopping or a perfect vacation. Epic Joy can be accessible— we just have to know where to find it.

Try it. Right now. Find the fullness of Joy right now. Quick. Reach out and touch something for which you are grateful. Put your eyes on someone you are tremendously thankful is a part of your life today. Put your focus on what you have and not on what you do not have. The spirit of offense and comparison is the thief of our Joy, and it will try to keep you focused on what you don’t have. Why? Because that spirit wants to keep you from the bountiful blessings God has for you. The Spirit of Joy wants to fill your soul. And once you get to the Garden of his presence, it’s almost as easy as hitting a button. Remember the “easy button” commercial? Well, this button is that easy too, but it is labeled with the word GRATITUDE. In the Garden we live with the Joy for what we have right NOW. And isn’t that all we have anyway?

True Joy doesn’t require perfect circumstances to grow. Joy can grow in the lackluster, dreary days. It grows in sadness. It grows in pain.

Joy doesn’t have a shelf life once we’ve learned how to harvest it.