Joy to the World! How many times have I sung this at Christmas? So true. And yet some of us are feeling sad. We can have joy in the midst of sadness.
The Holidays bring on mixed emotions for many people. My sister died this year. And Ron lost his brother this year. Some family members are not speaking to each other. This all makes me feel sad.
What I appreciate about my sister, Sandy, was her perseverance through trials and troubles. Her first husband left her at 23 years old with two small babies. I remember going to her house one day soon after he left. She had lost so much weight. I opened the frig and found three items. But she was determined to provide for her children. She got job as a stalk clerk for a huge electronic company. Someone told her she would never be anything more than that. She replied firmly, “You watch me.”
She rose in that company, being one of the most successful sales representatives in the area. A true inspiration for women especially since at that time, the industry was dominated by men. I truly admired my big sister.
And her frig became quite full.
Life continued and so did she. She survived several surgeries, breast cancer, and a fire that damaged their home. She picked herself up and kept on going. Sadly, she suffered a back injury. After three failed surgeries and chronic pain, her body gave up. She will be missed.
I have moments of grief and moments of joy. Today I went to the San Diego Zoo. I love the gorillas and orangutans. Little Kaja is my favorite. He is a 3-year-old orangutan. His older sister, Aisha and Aunt Karen take care of him while mom, Indah, sleeps all day. The Zookeeper told me a funny story of how they are trained to carry foreign objects to the back door of their enclosure and then receive a treat. One day, a coin ended up in their enclosure and the four of them fought over it. Finally, all four showed up and the door with the coin. They all wanted a treat!
We want treats, too.
Sandy loved orangutans. I sent her a video of Kaja before she passed. Her best friend teased her about being an orangutan. Not sure why. But they are smart. So was she.
If you are sad over losses, disappointments, unanswered prayer…take the time to feel it. When you are ready, release your sadness to God. It may come and go. That is ok. Feel it, release it, and try to find something that gives you joy this season.
Joy to the World. Our Lord is here.
Younger Days Together
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