J is for…

The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings…
From Luke 4:18

J is for Joy. I would be completely dishonest if I didn’t admit that joy eluded me for much of February and March. When my sister was hospitalized, she and all concerned expected a reasonably quick diagnosis, subsequent treatment, and her discharge from the hospital. As you know, that didn’t happen.

That first week, I visited my sister between tests and procedures. By the fourth day, my thoughts traveled to decades ago when I worked as a nurse’s aid. Back then, I was trained to keep patients as comfortable as possible. When I prepared them for the coming night’s sleep, this “prep” included a back rub if the patient could be positioned to receive it. Though my sister wasn’t in need of a back rub at that point, I offered to massage her feet. There was no hesitation in her smiling response. “Sure!”

Joy! I should have taken a picture of my sister’s contented face during that foot massage. She closed her eyes, laid back and enjoyed. When subsequent news regarding tests and her prognosis threatened, those foot massages distracted my sister and me from it all. Did she experience joy? Oh, I think so… she was never as calm and content and at peace as she was when I spread that lotion on her feet. Joy? I know I experienced joy because I was able to make everything better for that little while,

My sister’s journey taught me a lot about joy. None of us can assure any of us of ongoing joy. However, every one of us can do something to bring a bit of joy to the moment at hand. Rather than allowing myself to be overwhelmed by the sadness of any given moment, I can infuse joy by doing something to make that moment better… In the end, those joyful foot massages were among the most precious moments we shared.

God of Joy, you send us to bring your joy everywhere we go.

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