Much JOY ( There's that word again!)

 This Sunday it was the Advent of JOY.
 ( Gaudete Sunday, which , in Latin, means REJOICE).
What a WONDERFUL word.  I started looking up references to the word  JOY that I could find. I found that there was a timeline for the use of the word"JOY". In the 1800's it was strongest, but by the 1950's had almost petered out into nothing. Forgotten Joy. By 2010 it made a comeback and is on the rise. 

 Isn't that amazing? JOY on the rise. Not a shallow , fluffy joy.  Something deep within.

 Third Advent Sunday reminds us to NOT be worried about ANYTHING. But pray about EVERYTHING.With thankful hearts.

 TRUSTING in GOD  who gives us strength and JOY. (There's that word again!)

 "JOY" is defined  by a feeling a great PEACE, pleasure or happiness. It does not mean that everything is perfect in your world. What you see on the outside, is not what is always on the inside.

 It means that in the tide of difficult times, TRUST gives us the chance to persevere, to be CORAGEOUS. To find JOY. ( There it is AGAIN! Go figure)

 Third Sunday in Advent is the ADVENT of great JOY, JUBILATION, EXULTATION.

 Our lives will be refreshed with LOVE.

 To make us loving, JOYFUL ( there's that word again), PEACEFUL, patient ( that's the hard one).

 KIND. Good  and Faithful. GENTLE in all things. To find and bring JOY. ( Again!)

 We try to put on a good face for everyone to see, and yet underneath may not be as pretty as we show. But we can still be  full of "JOY" THINK JOY now!)

 "We MIGHT impress people with our STRENGTHS. But we CONNECT with people through our weaknesses."
(Pastor Crag. G. New Life Church)

 The many words of JOY connect us, when we remember  to BE GLAD.

 The Third Candle of Christmas. The Candle of JOY ( There it is....again and again)

 JOY comes in many words: Delight.  GLADNESS.

 In GLEE.

 Euphoria. BLISS.  

 RAPTURE.

 Felicity. Joie de vivre.

 JOUISSANCE. "Then the lame shall LEAP like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for JOY.For waters will break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert." ( Isaiah 35:6)

 Each day we begin again. No matter what has happened in the day, or in the week. We can start over. One of the Advent readings I was mulling over said that it is our choice to begin every day with RAPTURE and DELIGHT and JOY. ( There's that word again!) Much JOY. 
                          ( Pass it on.......)

All photos from Tyee Spit, or Campbell River, B.C.