joy.

being the expert of all things church-y, i had to look up what the 3rd candle in the advent wreath meant. seems the theme is joy this week. i like that one.

what is joy? to me, it's not happiness, necessarily. it's part of it, it can go hand in hand with the idea of joy, but i think joy proper is something deeper. you can have joy and not be happy. you can have joy in trial and sorrow. joy is something that is found way down inside us. i think it's peace, hope, understanding that when our future, our eternity is secure, everything else is going to be alright. it's a good thing, something i hope that each of us can grab onto and experience this season...

joy is knowing that God didn't leave us here alone -- He cared so much, He wrapped up divinity in humanity and came to with us, and to save His people from our sins. joy is knowing that that way has been cleared, that the gates of heaven are blown wide, and that we are invited to come home. the truth and experience of that is something truly is full of joy.