"Wanna come fishing with us, Grami?" asked my grandson, Deacon, as I sat on the veranda enjoying my book, coffee, and the cool morning quiet of the surrounding mountains.
I'm not a fan of fishing, but I am a fan of my grandkids. Laying aside my book, I followed Deacon and his sister Eden to the dock where their dad stood baiting the fishing lines. I sat in a lawn chair next to my daughter to watch the activity. We were vacationing in the North Georgia mountains.
Sounds of excitement soon signaled someone had a bite. Surprised, I saw it was Eden, usually the reserved one. She didn’t rival Deacon’s exuberance, but the joy on her face was something to behold. A wiggly fish dangled on the end of her line. Her first catch.
As I looked into Eden’s face, I caught the excitement and clapped in delight. I was taken back to my childhood summers when each day unveiled new and wondrous discoveries.
I had to wonder. When do we stop looking at each day with anything less than joyful anticipation? Why do we resist getting animated about life? Maybe the peer-pressured teen years changed us. Maybe we hide our emotions because the world tells us it’s unsophisticated to get excited. Maybe we let disappointments and troubles we’ve encountered rob us of hope.
When we let boredom or cynicism become our default mode, we don’t experience life abundantly as Jesus intends.
The psalmist rejoiced in the day because God had created it. He wants all His children, young and old, to enjoy life. And when we show our joy, we serve as witnesses for Him and the abundant life He gives.
Joy is a response to God’s gifts and to who we are in Him. Finding and expressing joy is not difficult. We start by remembering each new day is from God. We express gratitude for this gift. We open our eyes and see signs of God’s love everywhere. And just like children, we celebrate.
Celebrate today. Reclaim the joy.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Candyce Carden is a writer and teacher who lives in Georgia. She’s worked with students from kindergarten through college and directed the preschool learning program for her church. Her favorite role, however, is mother and grandmother. You can connect with her at CandyceCarden.com.