Christmas Joy in January

I heard something in the grocery store today that made my week, and let me tell you...it's been one crappy week. I'm talking first-ambulance-ride-to-the-ER-because-I'm-throwing-up-every-hour-and-dehydrated-and-have-the-stomach-flu kind of crappy week. I needed a pick me up today, and apparently God knew that. I love when He does that.

So on to the story. I was in Harris Teeter exhausted from my first day back at work after being sick when I rounded the corner to hear a little girl singing at the top of her lungs. What's the big deal about that? you ask. Well...she was singing "Joy to the World." I couldn't help it. I laughed out loud at this precious little girl who was hanging on to Christmas for dear life, and it got me thinking how all of us could do with a little more Christmas joy year-round. That's the great thing about the hope we have in Jesus, it's new every morning...not just on Christmas. And that's just what I needed today - a reminder that God is always there, always strong, always loving. Here was a little love letter from Him to me in the form of a Christmas carol sung by a little girl in a grocery store. Did I mention I love my God? :)

P.S.: Speaking of hanging on to Christmas, I should really take my Christmas tree down. Um, yeah. I'm that girl.

A Word from The Word for the New Year

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.

---Psalm 51:10-13 (emphasis mine)