Joy Hunts

What if we hunted for joy every day like our kids hunt for Easter eggs once a year?

I am becoming more and more convinced that each day has it's own special joys... and challenges.  Yesterday's joys and challenges may be the same, somewhat similar, or not at all like those of today.  That's part of the adventure.  It will be the same way tomorrow.

As I've become more aware of this fact, I've been praying each morning for the grace and wisdom to navigate through the challenges and the thankfulness and excitement for the joys.  Some days I do really well at this, and others, well, not so much.  Can you relate?

But what if, what if, we actively sought out the joys like our children seek out the Easter eggs?  What if we were afraid to leave the day because we may have missed one of the joys tucked away, out of plain sight?

(image courest of Corbis images)

As I watched my sweet Littles last weekend, intent and focused on finding each and every egg with the joy in every one, I realized that I need to be doing the same thing daily.  Those kiddos would not be convinced to come inside until they were absolutely positive that each egg had been found and claimed.  What if I couldn't be convinced to lay down every night until I was absolutely positive convinced that I had found and claimed each joy that God had hidden for me during the day?  What if God watches me with pleasure and excitement like we watch our kids, giving clues and cheering when they triumphantly find the one that was especially difficult to spy with the naked eye? 

And then just as kids showed each of us adults their filled-to-the-brim baskets, what if in the same way, at the end of the day, we showed God our own filled-to-the-brim joyful hearts?  Which, of course, He would look at and recognize each of those joys because He had purposely hidden them just for us because He loves us and takes pleasure in us?

Oh, dear reader, this almost to much for my heart to take in and process!

Some days, the joys will be obvious and easy to find, like the eggs that were laid out for the littlest of the Littles.  Sometimes, though, as we get older, wiser, more mature we not only find those easy eggs, but we have to diligently search for the joys that aren't easy, like in sickness, lost jobs, hurting hearts or gas prices?

But, is is there.  You just have to hunt for it.  Maybe you'll need to pray and ask God to give clues, maybe it will be hidden in plain sight or completely out in the open.  Wherever that day's joys are, look, sweet friend, with all diligence and singleness of mind, for it is there.

Will you join me in today's joy hunt?