JOY radiates within me

I have a word that I picked way back in January (only a few blogs ago-LOL).  It is JOY!

I found this in my Daily Word for October and wanted to share as it hits the nail right on the head. If you know me, you will shake your head and agree that this is me. 

 

 

The spiritual gift of joy is like a candle burning eternally within my heart. Just as each sunrise illuminates the earth with warm hues, joy lights me up from the inside out.

Sights and sounds spark my awareness of joy. Hearing the beat of a favorite song, seeing the beautiful fall foliage, feeling the touch of a loves one’s embrace- all of these things ignite a spark within me.

Whenever I feel darkness in my life, I mediate on the joy in my life. As I reflect, the joy within my heart grows. I feel it’s like the sun warming my entire body. It sends tingles to my arms and legs. I cannot help but smile as joy radiates within me. God is present and I am grateful

 

 

I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete- John 15:11

Memories from a song....

BJ Thomas: "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"

I think my Memere and Pepere got me a little ceramic music box when I was little. It resembled a "Precious Moments" type of baby that was sleeping with its bum up in the air.  I have a picture of me in this pose and I guess they thought it looked like me. 

The song the music box played was BJ Thomas: "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head".  I saw something on Facebook today about that song.  I think it said 1972 which would make me 6 years old. That is about right.  I would take this music box and stuff it under my pillow so I could listen to it and fall asleep. I still love rain. The sound, smell and the way it washes away the dirt.

It might of also been to drown out voices of sisters Maureen and Janet, who also shared the bedroom with me. Wow another memory of one big bedroom with three twin beds in it.  Looking back now...I have no idea how my parents did it. So very thankful for all their sacrifices and hard work it took to raise seven children.  I was watching "Walburgers" TV show about Mark and Donnie Walburg who are famous actors/singers.  They were from Dorchester, MA and family of nine. The last episode I watched had Donnie talking about sharing a bed with his brother. Not because he wanted too...they had to. 

I laughed knowing how big families operate and how valuable "space" is.  I know that's the reason I love to do laundry is because of the alone time and "space" I had to be away from all the sisters and brothers.  Then I think of my friends who did not grow up in large families or were only child in family and missed these moments.  It's not any better or worse than how I was raised, but I know I am who I am today because of the family I have and the way I was raised. Just wish they could of experienced this type of family dynamic. Maybe through me...they do!