I've Got Joy!

It's hard to believe, but May Day is here already! Most of you know it's one of my favorite days of the year. Filled with flowers, spring sun with a slight Pacific Ocean breeze, and gardening galore! Today we can start to plant the warm season vegetables; corn, beans, tomatoes, squash and whatever else we have room for in the raised beds. 

Business has been keeping me extra busy these last few weeks, but I can't complain; it's a blessing to be busy painting spring flowers for dishes and, although hard to think Christmas while it's so nice outside, there are many Christmas paintings to be finished for flags, calendars and fabric. I guess that you could say an artist that licenses her art for home decor gets to celebrate Christmas all year! 

Not all work these past few weeks has been creating with a palette. There's been hectic meetings and many phone calls that interrupt and try to take my attention from what is important in life , but I have to say all went better than expected. 

You might think every day is rosy in my world, but to everyone comes tribulation. How do you keep joy when ugliness tries to creep into your world to steal that joy? 

Just when I needed it about a week ago, there was a devotion which spoke the words that reminded me of the importance of showing on my face the joy that is in my heart. Substitute "work, home, sitting in traffic, etc." in place of "house of worship" in the following... 

"Seekers may not understand all that happens in a house of worship. They may not understand the meaning of a song or the significance of communion, but they know joy when they see it. By the way, wouldn't the opposite be equally true? What happens when a seeker sees boredom on your face? Others are worshiping and you’re scowling? Others are seeking God’s face while you’re seeking the face of your watch? As long as I’m getting personal—parents, what are your children learning from your worship? Do they see the same excitement as when you go to a baseball game? Do they see you hungry to see the face of your Father? Or do they see you content to leave the way you came? They’re watching. Believe me…they are watching! 

From Just Like Jesus by Max Lucado. 

If you'd like to receive a short week-day devotion from Max Lucado similar to this one, just click here for Max Lucado's Weekday email devotionals.

So, if you are watching me, I hope that you see in my smile the joy that is in my heart. Because, through both trials and blessings, God is in control and he has given me peace that surpasses all understanding!

Happy May Day!