Joy Comes in the Morning

The crud has camped out in my family through the holiday season. I got into the doctor on Christmas eve day because I knew I was in trouble and could not get through the Christmas activities without some antibiotic. Glad I went, though I hate going to the doctor. He said I was headed for pneumonia. I could not get a full breath and surely began to feel panicked.

However, one 14 dollar pill down, I began to feel better in half a day. I was heartbroken to miss the Christmas eve service, but sent my husband on ahead. That is when the blizzard started. After the early service everyone was dismissed to head home before the roads became impassable.

Lo, and behold, we got a record snowfall, and woke up to the most astounding heap of wet, heavy snow in our backyard. Two pills down the hatch, I was beginning to see a big change in my breathing capacity. I went out into the sun, bundled up to enjoy the sunlight and beautiful snow. Before you know it, the joy that comes in the morning had me making a snow fox. We rarely see snow in Texas, and when we do it is not of the quality or quantity to build anything that last more than half an hour.
I moved on to make a grizzly bear, but thought better of expending too much energy while recovering from infection. The pull to continue to create in the snow was overcome with a gift of common sense and wisdom from the holy spirt.


If you know anything about me from following my blog, you will know that I am crazy about wildlife. The friends I have made on Evergreen Mountain have changed my heart forever. On one particular visit I was able to hand feed a red fox. It was an exquisite, thrilling experience.

I had been transported from the heaviness of sickness and lethargy to rising on Christmas morning to the joyful energy of a child playing in freshly fallen snow. God had invited me to co-create something to express the incredible joy that was blessing my spirit. Abundant life; joy in the morning. It was one of the most joyful Christmas mornings of my life, following one of the most dismal Christmas eves of my life.

God is so good! Restoration, hope, life, breath, faith, trust...

My true Joy did come on Christmas morning to a manger long ago, but he is as real to me today as that freshly fallen snow.

Joy Comes in the Morning!