Joy and Words

 Joy that runs deep. I’m getting ready to leave on vacation. And I get so darn thrilled/ready. Is it the promise of good company, fine weather, new places, or being off call? Mmm, probably all of it, they all win....and then I get to come home and basically do all that over again in a little over a week. Just stringing all of it together! The sun’s a little brighter today, the coffee taste a little better, you start a count down, you have a ridiculous grin...I’ve been thinking about joy recently, even before the exuberance came on this morning. The things that light me up and fill me with this same kind of joy, exuberance, make me come alive, get all bubbly, make me want to skip, make all the sound effects my heart can muster. What are those things? 

1. When I’ve had a REALLY good conversation with people. (Esp. Late high school age when they are beginning to grasp real deep darn good concepts in life)

2. When I get to explore somewhere for the first time.

3. A whole day with Jesus. 

4. When my nieces and nephews greet me. 

5. When I get to hold a fresh baby. 

6. Breakfast burritos.

7. When you get those texts that old friends are thinking about you. 

8. Mountain views. 

9. Chasing sunsets. 

10. When accomplishing some massive goal.

11. A good hair day, on top of a fun outfit, when you REALLY believe that you look cute. 

12. Answered prayer. 

13. Hunting. 

14. The biggest belly laugh that you’ve had all year. 

15. When all of your best friends are in one place. 

16. Sitting around a campfire in the woods. 

17. Love felt in its truest form. 

18. Checking off a dream. 

19. Sunny days, wild hair, country music with windows down, eating an entire pineapple. 

20. Sun dresses and coffee dates. 

21. I could probably keep going. But the biggest one of note on this list is words. When I get words of affirmation. When I’m able to speak words of life to another. When I hear from God’s heart what He thinks about someone. When I write and feel like it really is meant, even if just for one someone out there. When I’m finally able to express in words what Jesus is teaching me. When I speak a spoken word and you feel the weight of it being truth and light that needs to be proclaimed. All of these are words. And I want to do more of that. 

I do want to. Really I want to do more of all these things on this list and more. But I want to speak more words intentionally. I want to affirm. I want to pray. I want to take the opportunity to ask what I should write. I want to speak words of life. Have more conversations. Even if it means with strangers. How many times have you thought about a word or encouragement aptly spoken and gone back to it time and time again? God is faithful and gives us His word to go back to time and time again (for which I am very thankful). I also want to be that person that gives out words like I’m desperate to use them up. 

And I want more joy, always. Maybe there’s something to my middle name. Maybe it’s the way we’re meant to be wired. Maybe there’s more of His presence to be noticed in those moments. Maybe there’s always more. Go do more of them. Make a list. See the things. Be the things. Bring the joy and words of life. 

Maybe also continue to make a list of the things today, savor the moments before they’re gone.