J is for....

 

J = JOY

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Have you ever done the “Managing Interpersonal Relationships (MIR) Program?" It’s similar to the more famous Myers-Briggs except MIR has other persons, answer the questions in how they perceive you.  Like Myers-Briggs there are four main quadrants with four sub quadrants.  The big four are clockwise from bottom left: Amiable, Analytic, Driver, Expressive.  

 

I live loudly in the “Expressive-Expressive” corner.

 

I don’t have a poker face.  

I wear my heart on my whole wardrobe.

I am a human muppet.

 

We disciple ourselves to the Christ, who is Love, who has come to dwell with us! I believe we should act as if that is so and show a little…OK, a lot of joy.

 

Because it is so infrequent, I clearly recall three worship moments when the joy present was tangible, felt, buzzing, snapping, humming, there!  

One was during a communion service at Mt. St. Benedict. While walking up to partake with the music soaring, persons went up front in a wonderful weaving pattern, dancing all the way, giving and receiving hugs and smiling big and bright!  

The second was at my home congregation of Freeport when I preached and lead worship and our closing hymn was “Shine, Jesus, Shine!”  The organist was Julliard trained and her playing and our joy was rock concert worthy!  Forget being called the “frozen chosen,” we were the melted and moving in joy!

The third was while pastoring a congregation in Erie, the Feast of St. Nicholas, December 6, was on a Sunday.  Tradition holds that for the Feast of St. Nicholas children would leave their shoes near the fire place and St. Nicholas would fill them with treats.

Along with the children's ministry team we decided to celebrate this tradition.  Prior to coming up front for the "Little Lesson," I asked the kids to remove their shoes and take them to the back of the sanctuary.  They trusted me and followed the request. 

When the little lesson was over and the kids went back to get their shoes they found their footwear filled to over flowing with a variety of candy and chocolate.  The congregation knew the kids had found the surprise when little Michael shouted, "Holy Crap! Look at all this stuff! I'm glad I wore my snow  boots today!"

That unbridled, free, released, honest joy should be the norm in all our celebrations....