joy

"Perhaps there is no way to discover joy but as surprise. Yes, the small even have a biblical nomenclature. Doesn't God call them the humble? The humble live surprised. The humble live by joy. The humble are the laid-low and bowed ones, the surprised ones with hands open to receive whatever He gives.
He hands them the earth. The earth. But is it any wonder? That word humility itself comes from the Latin root humus - the kind of earth that grows good crops. God gives the earth to the humus-people: the humble ones. Humility is that good humus that grows gratitude that yields abundant joy. In the upside-down kingdom of heaven, down is up and up is down, and those who want to ascend higher must descend lower. To receive God's gifts, to live exalted and joy-filled, isn't a function of straining higher, harder, doing more. Receiving God's gifts is a gentle movement of stooping lower"
Ann Voskamp
I had intended to write more, to expound on this, and to explain how much it has meant to me to walk into the holiday season with this on my mind. Time and energy both fail me, so I'll just leave it right here and hope it blesses you too. :) Suffice to say, this Christmas season has given me much to reflect on, more to be thankful for, and a deeper love for God than ever before. More later, hopefully.

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