Joy To My World

I have to tell you....

this has been a season of worry, uncertainty, fear, and stress. 

We're living a good life, truly.  We have a cozy home, good food, great health, loving friends and family. (Ooo! And new furniture, thanks to Daisy and Rosie whose steer calves we sold this fall during a strong market!) But right now there's change that is a little bewildering, so we're living in reactionary mode rather than proactive planning mode. 

Today was a gift.

This morning, I was praying for joy.  ANY joy. A good shot of joy. 

Okay. A double shot of joy, neat...not even on the rocks, okay?  

(There will be some who have to look that reference up.  Don't judge when you do, okay? It really has been that sort of year.)

And God served it up with a festive cocktail napkin. 

I somehow managed to get a hair appointment with my old friend in Miles City in a last minute call. I haven't had a hair cut or color since June...and there was healing to be done, here, on a couple levels. 

We didn't ship or move any cows this morning, rendering the appointment null and void.

(At Lang's Fork Inc. that's a cotton-picking miracle.  No matter when I schedule an appointment, there will be one of these events occurring. Guaranteed.)

My "town jeans" fit AND WERE CLEAN!

Another miracle.

I was listening to the radio thinking that "Old Dogs and Children, and Watermelon Wine" is one of my very favorite songs, when 3 minutes later it played.  I'm not kidding. 

"I was sittin' in Miami, pouring blended whiskey down, when this old grey, black gentleman was sweeping up the lounge..." One of the best jobs of songwriting I know, preceded only by Tom T. Hall's "I Love".  (The man was brilliant. And why do we not have these sorts of songs now? It's all "Shake It For Me, Baby" junk...) But I digress...

I found the non-grocery things on the list without going to Walmart.

God is good.

(Break into the "Hallelujah chorus" here...)

In a completely random dash into Albertson's, I ran into non other than the great Sally Hagedorn (mother of one of my best pals) and we had 20 minutes of sweet sharing in which I found out that she had gone to ITALY...of the Sistine Chapel, Tuscany, and so forth...and secured a couple hugs. (Sara Hagedorn Calvert, you've got some 'splainin' to do...)

Shortly thereafter, I saw my brother Barry in Reynolds Grocery for the first time in two years and was able to give him a hug and visit for about 5 uncomfortable minutes. (We're not close. This was another miracle.) 

The checker and boxer at Reynolds asked about my kids, and not because they were glad the children weren't there.  That was heart warming! (Reynolds is where I get hugs from the checkers, too.  I love that place.)

The hair appointment was filled with laughter, hugs, inspiration and....gosh, I'm thrilled...lots of hair color!  And yes, healing of an old friendship. 

I returned home to find there are no dead cows, the house didn't burn down despite the tree and crockpot, everyone is STILL healthy and happy, and there isn't any staining on the new furniture.

A whole mess of joy, plopped down in my lap and on my head, blessings abounding!

Joy to the world.

At least joy to MY world.

*fist bump with God*