Good morning…
Two tiny pounds. The smallest puppy I ever snuggled weighed two tiny pounds. Yesterday, our finger-to-fur time was free, and his soft little licks were precious, just precious. And puppy breath, wow, it’s one of the best scents on earth. Fitting in the palm of my hand, this new creature of God was a source of genuine joy.
On page 178 of her book Choose Joy, Kay Warren opens our eyes to several other sources of joy existing right at our fingertips.
“God invites us to take pleasure in every day,” Kay explains. “Take a walk around your neighborhood one day this week, not for exercise but for pleasure. Stand in the sun for a few moments; close your eyes and let the warmth penetrate your skin. Take your shoes off at a nearby park and let the grass tickle your toes.”
“Take a bite of something yummy and roll it around in your mouth before you gulp it down,” Warren continues. “Try to figure out what makes it so tasty and delicious; savor the texture, the taste, the smell.”
“Walk outside tonight before you go to bed and just look at, listen to, and feel the night,” Kay recommends. “Look at the majesty of the night sky, let the breeze touch your face, let your ears hear the night sounds.”
“When you get in bed, be aware of how the sheets feel,” she writes. “Rub your fingers over the softness of the blanket, smell the laundry detergent that perfumes your linens. Snuggle deep into your pillow and really feel the pleasure that comes from its comforting shape.”
“The good feelings that come when we rediscover pleasure sound suspiciously like happiness rather than joy,” Kay concludes. “It’s true that the pleasure is temporary, but the deliberate choice to turn our thoughts to the Giver of all good gifts causes happiness to step into joy’s shoes.”
As our dear friend Dr. Cathy Snapp reminds, “Taking time to truly savor the moment at hand turns a happy passing state into genuine joy, a lasting trait.”
Fix your hope on God, the One who richly provides everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17b, VOICE).
…Sue…
