The Joy Within Us

March 8, 2015

 

Page 5E

 

 

The Joy Within Us

 

 

By Peggy Toney Horton 

   At this time of year, when days are short and often dreary, it can be difficult to feel joyful. It’s quite possible that winter’s darkness triggers not-so-happy memories of the past in some who are already sick, lonely, or depressed causing them to give up, thus the reports that more deaths occur in January than any other month of the year.

   And fewer during the holidays!

This would indicate that elderly, depressed and lonely people “hold on” for “joyful times,” like Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. But when the holidays are over and they see no more enjoyment in sight, they “let go” during the darkest days of January.

   How sad!

   Joy is our natural state of being. When we experience it, all else falls away, all worries, all doubts. We are one with the Creator! When we are expressing joy, we feel intimately connected to God.

   Many activities connect us to the joyfulness that is deep within us. Being enveloped by the silence of a snowfall may fill us with quiet elation. It is a great gift to witness a sunset, hold the hand of a loved one, behold the innocent face of a newborn child and then to express heartfelt gratitude for that moment, that person, or that inspiration.

   Lighting a candle, saying a prayer and blessing a meal can all be sources of happiness. True and lasting joy comes from within—from God, the Source of every joy.

   When we receive good news or hear from a dear friend or a child calls our name, we immediately feel a sense of satisfaction. When we watch a funny movie, hear a good joke or recall a humorous event, we respond with laughter.

   Yet it is when our hearts are touched by a revelation of God’s presence that our joy is complete. The joy of God is our strength, a bliss that cannot be disturbed by outer circumstances, for it is an intricate part of the nature of God.

   We do not create our own happiness; there is a reservoir of sacred contentment instilled within our souls by our Creator. It’s up to us to express our inner joyfulness. As we do this, it moves through us as waves of enthusiasm that flow into our thoughts, conversations and actions. The more joy we express, the more gladness of Spirit rushes in to fill this reservoir and then spills over into our lives.

   Joy is within us no matter what circumstances life may bring. Knowing that conditions can change in an instant, we find happiness in knowing that life is eternal. We also derive pleasure from times in silence, during which we may realize our oneness with God. This is when we discover joy in the beauty God has created around us: the rain’s gentle patter, the sun’s warmth and light, a flower’s sweet perfume and a child’s uninhibited laughter.

   Joy is only a thought away. When we are feeling sadness, fear or anxiety, let us remember that the choice is ours to keep our mind and heart attuned to the Holy Spirit – for every thought, word and action is an expression of the Spirit within.

   True joy is deeper than any sorrow and stronger than any disappointment. We trust this power within to help us overcome sorrow, anger or grief—to remind us continuously that life is good.

   When we awaken each day to an awareness of God, we awaken to joy!

    Peggy Toney Horton can be reached at pegylu@suddenlink.net 

 

You Never Know

 

November 2, 2014

Page 7E

 

You Never Know

By

Peggy Toney Horton 
 

“You just never know what’s going to happen,” said my friend who’d just received a disappointing diagnosis from her doctor. She had a far-away look in her eyes as if she were trying desperately to figure out what had happened to her.

And why.

Not long after that conversation, she passed away. I’ve thought of her and her remark many times since. It’s true. One can never guess what might happen next year, next week, tomorrow or even in the next moment.

To put it bluntly, life’s a crapshoot!

A young lady we know went to work early one morning feeling fine and happy. She had two wonderful children, several beloved pets, a nice home with all the comforts and a job she loved.

Life was good!

But by eleven a.m., she was in an ambulance, on her way to the hospital screaming in pain! Many hours of testing and eight days in the hospital revealed that she had not one, but two serious conditions that will be with her for the rest of her life. Both conditions will require continuous treatment and the possiblility exists that other serious diseases may spring up from these. Before this incident, she was young and vibrant, but now, both her quality and quantity of life are uncertain, at best.

When I heard about this, my friend’s words echoed in my mind, “You just never know what’s going to happen.”

Similarly, a young man we know was resting on his sofa one Sunday evening, watching TV and feeling fine, but when he tried to get up to get ready for bed, he suddenly felt very ill and it was all he could do to make it to the bedroom and fall onto his bed. There he slept until early morning, when he managed to get up and make an appointment with his doctor. Somehow, he got himself ready and drove to the doctor’s office.

It didn’t take the doctor long to diagnose a leaky heart valve. He immediately sent him to a Cardiologist who ran a barrage of tests and, before the young man knew what was happening, he was scheduled to see a surgeon to discuss how soon open-heart surgery could be done.

After he underwent a seven-hour procedure to replace his mitral heart valve with an artificial valve, he spent ten days in the hospital and months at home recovering.

His life changed drastically!

He had always been extremely active: worked out at a gym three times a week, took long walks, and worked endless hours on his house and in his yard, besides his job. But now, he tired easily and found that he could no longer tolerate the workouts, nor the long walks. Though he tried to work in his yard, it was difficult and he had to stop after short periods and rest or take a nap.

These are only two examples of how uncertain life can be. There are many. Almost everyone you meet has a story to tell about someone whose life was changed in the blink of an eye by something unexpected.

Since, as my friend said, “You just never know what’s going to happen,” perhaps we should stop worrying so much about tomorrow and next week and next year – and learn to live only one day at a time? Because that is all we have.

And that’s a good thing.

If all the days of the future were dumped into our lap at one time, we’d be overwhelmed, wouldn’t we? But God, in His wisdom, broke life up into portions so small that anyone can manage it if we take it as it is given – one day at a time.

Life is filled with unexpected surprises, some treasures, others challenges, but if we approach every situation with absolute faith in God, we’ll find our doubts and worries are short-lived. When change occurs suddenly or dramatically, we have only to remind ourselves that we are never alone. God is with us and within us! While circumstances are temporary, God’s love is eternal and enduring.

And the power of God in us is constant and unchanging.

Peggy Horton lives in Nitro and may be reached at pegylu@suddenlink.net

 



For all Eternity

  This essay appeared in the Sunday Gazette-Mail as an Essay on Faith

on August 17, 2014

On his death bed, my father looked at the young nurse who was attending him and said, “Do you know the Lord?”

She answered, “Yes sir, I sure do!”

He smiled.

A few moments later, he took his last breath and entered into his eternal home, still wearing the beautiful smile. I can’t say with any degree of certainty, but I’ve heard it said that the expression a person has on his or her face at the moment of transition is the one that remains forever and that no mortician, no matter how creative, can erase it. Supposedly, this makes it easy to tell if the dying person was happy, sad, afraid or disappointed.

Perhaps this sounds a bit far-fetched. But, think about it. Don’t you always come away from a viewing with an opinion about how the dearly departed looked? I suppose the assessments we hear most are, “He looks so natural!” Or, “She looks so peaceful!”

My mother looked particularly beautiful lying on the light-blue taffeta lining of the coffin we chose for her, her silver hair sparkling in the light. Everyone who saw her remarked about the magical talents of the mortician. She had been ill for many months, but there was no indication of illness on this face that looked at least twenty years younger than its actual years. The man she’d been keeping company with for a while said to me, “I always knew your mother was pretty, but I never thought of her as this beautiful!”

Is it possible that, just before death, one sees what lies ahead for him and that determines the look that is fixed on his or her face for all eternity?

There is, it seems, some verification of foresight regarding the destiny of one’s soul:

It is reported that Professor J.H. Huxley, the famous agnostic, as he lay dying, suddenly looked up at some sight invisible to mortal eyes, and after staring a while, whispered, "So it is true."

As he lay near death, D. L. Moody proclaimed, “Earth recedes, Heaven opens before me. If this is death, it is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go."

“I shall be with Christ, and that is enough,” said renowned chemical scientist, Michael Faraday when his wife asked him, on his deathbed, “Have you ever pondered what your occupation will be in the next life?”

Winston Churchill, the man whose vision and battle cry was to “never give up,”

said on his death bed, “I am convinced that there is no hope.”

Thomas Hobbes, the atheist, said, “I am taking a fearful leap into the dark.”

Catherine Booth, wife of the founder of the Salvation Army, cried out, “The waters are rising, but I am not sinking.”

And George MacDonald, the English novelist, said, “I came from God, and I’m going back to God, and I won’t have any gaps of death in the middle of my life.”

Even with these and many more reported testimonials, there are some who still don’t believe in Heaven or hell.

No one can prove unequivocally that there is a Heaven or a hell. Nor can anyone prove there isn't. The evidence, however, confirms that there are both. Yet it is our own personal decision, by our own free will, to examine and either accept or reject the evidence.

The best validation we have is from Jesus Christ and God's Word. Speaking about Heaven,  Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. In my Father’s house there are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also.” (John 14:2-3)

God's invitation to Heaven is open to everyone. It’s simple. If we believe, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. But if we don’t believe, we have everything to lose and nothing to gain.  It’s our choice.

"Whosoever will may come."

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My First Thanksgiving Turkey Was Picture-Perfect

~Published in the Charleston Gazette on November 24, 2013~

 

On Thanksgiving, my memory transports me to my childhood home and the aroma of roasting turkey, sage dressing, candied yams, pumpkin pies and yeast rolls; the busyness of my mother in a warm kitchen; the gathering of family members laughing and enjoying each other's company; and my father's visible delight with the entire event.

My mother was an excellent cook. The eldest of five children, it was normal for her to help her mother with the cooking, cleaning and looking after her younger siblings. By the time she was married, at 18, she was adept at housekeeping and cooking.

But, for some reason, she never taught me to cook. I had chores to do, but when I offered to help with a meal, she said something like, "I'm in a hurry" or "You can help by staying out of the kitchen."

Is it any wonder, then, that when I married, at 18, I could barely boil water? My young husband loved to eat. He must have been terribly disappointed. However, he ate whatever I managed to put together and rarely complained.

His mother blessed me with a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, and I learned to make some decent meals and showed a particular flair for baking. Still, I'd never be a culinary artist.

We'd been married three years when my parents announced they would be in Cincinnati visiting my elderly grandparents on Thanksgiving. My mother-in-law was recuperating from surgery, so there was no chance of getting an invitation to her Thanksgiving table. We'd be on our own for the first time on this major holiday, just the two of us and our young son.

Opening her purse, my mother handed me a wad of papers. "Here are some notes that will help you with your dinner. I've written step-by-step instructions for everything, starting with the turkey and stuffing."

"I'm not sure I can do it!" I said, butterflies already forming in my stomach at the thought of making a turkey and all the trimmings.

"You'll do just fine," she said. "I've even included a list of things to buy at the grocery store."

I baked a pumpkin pie the night before the big day. That wasn't too difficult. After breaking up bread and corn bread for stuffing, and chopping onions and celery, I decided to turn in so I could get up early and get that big bird in the oven.

My husband and I were up before daybreak. We had a lot to do and, although I was a little excited about cooking my first holiday dinner, I was also nervous.

I was thankful to have help handling the 21-pound turkey. We washed it well, greased it with cooking oil, salted it inside and out and placed it in the pan. No fancy roaster, this. It was a dark blue enamel pan with no lifting rack to hoist the turkey out when it was done. But we'd seen our mothers do it many times with two large forks and were sure we could do it too.

Once it was in the oven, temperature set to 325 degrees, as the instructions ordered, it was time to make the stuffing, peel and cook potatoes and prepare other vegetables.

As the aroma of roast turkey began to float through the house, memories of other Thanksgivings flooded my senses. I felt happy and sad at the same time.

Those are the holiday memories of my childhood, I thought. I'm making new memories and traditions with my own family now. There's room in my heart for both.

Checking the turkey gave us a surprise -- it was coming along nicely. It looked moist, a little brown and it smelled heavenly. I basted it carefully and put it back in the oven. It was about halfway there, we surmised.

Finally, the table set, vegetables cooked and fruit salad ladled into individual bowls, we waited for the turkey so we could use its rich broth to moisten the sage dressing.

"It's been over four hours," I said. "According to Mother's notes, it should be done."

I opened the oven door, and my husband lifted the hot pan out of the oven and placed it on the table beside the huge platter that awaited.

As we surveyed the turkey, our eyes widened.

This bird was a masterpiece! Perfect! Golden brown like the ones you see in magazine ads. I smiled. Now to get it out of the pan.

Placing a large serving fork in each end of the turkey, my husband prepared to lift the large bird out of the pan and onto the platter. But in midair, something happened. A wing fell off. Plop! Greasy broth spattered the countertop.

"Oh, no!" I said.

About that time, the other wing went. Then a drumstick. And another. There was no stopping it. It was like a landslide. Every bit of meat on that turkey slid right off the bones into the broth. We had turkey soup!

My smile turned to tears. "I should have known I couldn't do it!"

Ever the optimist, my husband said, "It'll be fine." He picked up a small piece of the displaced poultry and tasted it. "Mmmm," he said. "It's delicious! C'mon, let's put it on the platter. We don't even have to slice it."

We laughed.

Somehow, I finished the dinner, we ate and actually enjoyed it. I was grateful our son was too young to understand.

That night, my mother phoned. "Well, how was your first Thanksgiving dinner?" she asked.

"Wonderful!" I said. "My turkey looked like a magazine ad, and it was so good; not dry at all."

 

"See? I knew you could do it," she said.

~~~

 

 

Thankfulness in Everything

~Published in the Charleston Gazette, September 1, 2013~ 

Even as intense mid-summer heat and barometric pressure wreak havoc with my sinuses and my head throbs – today, I count my blessings.

Yesterday, I saw a doctor after waiting and worrying for a month about a potentially serious health threat. I asked a friend to say a prayer for me and she kindly agreed. By mid-afternoon, we were praising God and His mercy. All my worries had been unnecessary! It was suddenly a lovely day and I was thankful for my many blessings! An incident like this always reminds me of a Robert Browning poem called Pippa’s Song:

The year's at the spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in his Heaven --
All's right with the world!

As a child growing up, I often heard my mother quote the last two lines of this poem. After a while, I understood that, when she said these words, something good had happened or soon would.

It’s so easy to be thankful and in good spirits when things go our way. Sometimes we feel we are in God’s favor. But what if things had not gone so well for me at the doctor’s office?  Suppose the news had been bad. Would I still be grateful? Or would I be murmuring and complaining and questioning God’s reasons?

Probably the latter. It’s human nature.

Can we change that? Can we learn to be thankful even when things don’t always go the way we’d like? Do we have the grace to stop complaining and questioning God’s motives – the courage to accept what He deems right for us?

We must.

The Bible commands, "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV).

Even in the midst of trials we can thank God, because we know that He has promised to be with us and that He will help us. We know that He can use times of suffering to draw us closer to Himself: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance" (James 1:2-3, NIV).

When the prophet, Daniel, learned that evil men were plotting against him to destroy him, "he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before" (Daniel 6:10, NIV).

I don't know what difficulties you may be facing right now, but God does; He loves you and is with you by His Holy Spirit. That’s why it’s important to develop a spirit of thankfulness even in the midst of trouble and heartache.

We learn so much more in times of sorrow than in times of joy. Consider these words by Robert Browning Hamilton: “I walked a mile with pleasure, she chattered all the way, but left me none the wiser for all she had to say. I walked a mile with sorrow, and not a word said she… but oh, the things I learned from sorrow, when sorrow walked with me.”

If affliction causes us to learn, then we must be grateful to God for it.

When we suffer, yet keep praising God, it gives Him glory. And if God is being glorified in our life, can we not thank Him, even though we may not feel thankful at the time?

Real faith is not receiving what we want from God. It is graciously accepting what He gives us.


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~~~  

Knowing the Will of God

~Published in the Charleston Gazette, June 30, 2013~

 

Some people say discovering God’s will is like trying to catch a butterfly that’s always just out of reach. Others feel it’s like fishing – casting a lure and hoping for the best. Neither guarantees that we can know God’s will. But, thankfully, the Father gives believers His Holy Spirit to reveal His purpose for each one.

Scripture is our principal means of communication. The Bible is our instruction book for living. It is a vital revelation for all believers, and its precepts and ideals clearly give us the answers to most questions about the will of God.

Communication with God requires a regular time of reading the Bible with an open heart and mind. We sometimes find this difficult. The busyness of our lives leaves little time to study the scriptures or spend time with God. Many Christians say they are concerned about knowing the will of God, but how many of them spend even five minutes a day asking Him for wisdom and direction?

While God speaks primarily through His Word, He also speaks through the Holy Spirit to our consciences, through circumstances, and through other people. Once we commit our lives to God and the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, it’s difficult to do wrong because we have this nagging influence inside that lets us know when we are about to do something we shouldn’t. We’ve all heard the still, small voice.

By applying what we hear to the Scriptures, we can learn to recognize His voice.

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). These are the sheep who hear and recognize His voice, because they know Him as their Shepherd. If we are to recognize God's voice, we must belong to Him. And that means following His direction.

But when life becomes complicated, we sometimes struggle to handle our problems ourselves or we rely on the opinions of others. It’s easy to feel that the quickest way to fix things is to ask the advice of fellow Christians, or even unbelievers who seem wise. Our instinct is to withdraw from the source of stress or pain. At such times, our need to remove discomfort from our life can take precedence over the Lord’s plan. We assume He could not possibly want us to feel this way so we take action and then hope we are in His will. This places the emphasis on ourselves rather than on God’s purposes.

However, God causes "all things to work together for good" in the lives of His children, even though the things that happen sometimes do not seem best at the moment. To clarify this, C. S. Lewis used the illustration of a dog whose leash got wrapped around a pole. As the dog pulled to get free, the owner found it necessary to move it in precisely the opposite direction in order to free it from the pole. We are often like that dog, straining to do things our way instead of waiting for God’s will, but our heavenly Father loves us and knows what is best for us. Therefore, the path to our ultimate release will sometimes be painful, but we can delight in His will, knowing the glorious destiny that lies ahead of us.

If we want to know and experience God's will, we must communicate with Him regularly through prayer and Scripture. Living a Christian life apart from a steady diet of His Word is impossible. 

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A Gift From God

~Published in the Charleston Gazette, Sunday, April 28, 2013~

  

As we exercise our physical muscles, we strengthen them. As we use our mental skills, they are increased. It is not surprising then, that the same is true concerning our faith. The more we use it, the more it is strengthened – the more it grows.

Faith acts as a silent prayer that never ceases.

Yet, we may, at times, consider our faith to be weak. While we can fortify it through prayer and the reading of God’s word, we must also make certain that our faith is accurately directed.

An acorn holds within it the promise of a majestic oak tree, but no potential for an apple tree. The kind of faith seeds we plant determines what will mature in our lives as well.

Ask yourself these questions: “Where am I placing my faith? Am I focusing on those things I want to see growing in my life, or am I focusing primarily on my difficulties?”

“When things go wrong in my life, does my faith falter? Do I whine and complain and blame God for what is happening to me? Or do I realize I’m just going through a season of difficulty and know that this, too, shall pass?”

When troubles threaten to overwhelm us, we have only to release anxious feelings and pray with a sense of peace and positive conviction—to become still and imagine only the best possible outcomes. As we practice this “intentional” faith, our mind and heart are at ease and our trust in God grows ever stronger.

During a dry season, a tree’s roots grow deeper to reach water. Likewise, in times of difficulty, our devotion grows deeper as we seek a relationship with God.

Our faith does not lie in the trouble that surrounds us; our faith lies in God!

Jesus said, “Go, let it be done for you according to your faith.” And the servant was healed in that hour. Matthew 8:13

Our faith is a gift from God. It never leaves us. It is with us at all times ready to be applied in the right ways. It is an inner knowing that arises from our connection to the Holy Spirit. Faith does not mean always being strong, but it gives us the courage to take the next step, knowing strength will come.

We may not always understand the reasons our life unfolds the way it does, but we know that if we trust God, events and circumstances will come out for our highest good. Still, faith does not mean always getting exactly what we want, but being confident that our good is available in every situation. Even if the end result does not appear in the way we expect, it will be the right one for everyone concerned.

When we hold on to faith, hope replaces doubt and all things work together for good. Even though our faith, at times, may be as small as a mustard seed, it can never be too small. It is an absolute connection to God and His ultimate promise of well-being. Whether we possess a tiny grain of faith or we see our faithfulness as a mountain of possibilities, it sustains and nourishes us.

When we choose to live by faith, we are calm, confident and at peace. 

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