Joy!?!

I hear the kids singing tonight…I haven't sat and listened to them in the evening for several weeks. I haven't had time to stop and just enjoy…I've been thinking about JOY this evening…I don't have enough of it…

stress…I've got that

urgency…check

disappointment…yup

when i look at the world around me it's hard to see past the garbage, the sin, the injustice and remember that God is good. 

I hear people say all the time that Africa…this place I live in…breaks them. Leaves them with a heart that is broken for the world and changes them to do something about it…but how do you live with that broken heart EVERYDAY…are we supposed to? OR does God actually call us to something bigger…does he call us to HOPE & JOY…LIFE IN ABUNDANCE! And where does that joy come from in a world filled with pain…a world in which I tend to focus on the negative, the hurt, the trauma, the abuse, the evil instead of seeing the KINGDOM coming to earth. I want to see God's hand first, before I notice where He still needs to move because then…maybe, just maybe…I'll remember that He is already moving in those places…that all is not lost and that all I need to do is take one step at a time and HE is always there to pick me up when I fall down…

So I decided to look up joy in the Bible and here's what I found: WOW!

1 Chronicles 29:17
I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.

Job 8:21
He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

Psalm 16:11
You will show me the way of life,granting me the joy of your presenceand the pleasures of living with you forever.

Psalm 20:5
May we shout for joy when we hear of your victoryand raise a victory banner in the name of our God.May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Psalm 22:26
The poor will eat and be satisfied.All who seek the Lord will praise him.Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.

Psalm 34:5
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

And there is soooooo much more! 

Here's some joyous pictures of the last few weeks as well.

I snuck into preschool one day...we've got new chairs (pictured here) and new tables (I'll have to sneak in again this week and get a picture of those! Love these little ones!!!

A new bedroom is being built and tomorrow is moving day! Yeah!

We went to the beach...and this is how we felt about it! JOY!

Baby Cari got some special attention...she's 6 months old now!

We had visitors!

A PARTY FOR LUCY!

A goodbye and a handing over from one momma to the next...God is so good! We miss our Lucy but we love hearing the updates about how well she is doing in her new home!