 "If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happened better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb."
~ Mary Oliver
Dear Friends,
Is it too late to wish you a Happy New Year?
I don't think it's ever taken me this long to slide into your inbox; and if you've noticed, my monthly newsletters have become not-so-monthly as of late :)
Do not despair. As our friend Mary has said, "Joy is not made to be a crumb". Thought I'd re-appear with a little bit of bread for you. Food for thought, something to chew on.
If you find yourself settling for happiness in lieu of joy, just remember: happiness is fleeting. Things can be crumbling all around you and there is still joy to be found. In fact I'm wholely convinced that joy is somehow tethered to hope - knowing that there's more...and better.
I've been chewing on this Mary Oliver poem over the last few weeks because something in me worries that I've allowed my joy to be squashed. Supressed? Sabotaged maybe? As you know, it's my name! So this is something i think about quite often. When my joy is in jeopardy, i am keenly aware that something is...off.
It's that line about crumbs that hasn't let me go.
I'm thinking the moment you start scraping around for joy, looking for remnants intead of readily encountering whole chunks, that's when you know something ain't right.
"Don't be afraid of it's plenty"
Maybe joy is harder for people because if they give in to it, the high highs make the lows painfully low. It's easier to settle for happiness b/c there's always something that can fill that shallow void - a good movie, your favorite team winning the superbowl, a funny joke.
But the abundance of joy can be a scary thing...maybe b/c it feels almost illegal to be so content...to have your heart provided for. Or maybe because it seems like everyone is freely eating of this joy and you have somehow found yourself picking at the crumbs.
No matter which of these you identify with on this Valentines Day, please don't settle for happiness.
"If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it"
PAUSE...
Well, I've had a mostly quiet year and have been enjoying a bit of hibernating. Truth is, my life changed so radically in 2022 that I've needed some time to step back, re-calibrate, and take inventory. Eventually I'll explain what happened. But not yet :)
With that said, I guess this is a good time to let you know I won't be playing shows in 2023. Yes! I know...I've never gone cold turkey! But it's time...and it's been at least 5 years in the making! haha!
Aside from a very small handful of previously made commitments, this girl is hitting pause!
What am I up to instead?
I guess you could say I've been telling other people's stories. I've often found myself coaching or creating for other creatives. I've been leaning into this - working on some websites, and materials for individuals and organizations. This is my favorite creation of the year thus far - a Kintsugi-themed logo for a counseling ministry, Hope 2 Heal.
What else?
Well, I've been collecting stories!
I WANT TO SHARE THIS STORY WITH YOU...
As I lean into the true mission behind Wearing Love, I have begun acquiring stories from people who have been changed by love. Sharing these stories is actually the heartbeat of Wearing Love and one of my greatest 'joys'. Faith Bogdan, a follower, sent in this story at the beginning of this year and we just shared it on the website. I really hope it encourages you. If it does, please pass it along to someone who could use it.
 "i could love anybody of any stripe ...except my sister"
I thought I’d never have a good relationship with my younger, and only sister; we were too different. Things came to a head before Thanksgiving and it was voiced that maybe we should distance ourselves from each other for good – give up on getting along.
It had been that way for as long as I could remember; fights over wearing the older sister’s clothes evolved into ongoing tension related to what I saw as a clash of paradigms, personal convictions and thought processes. The suggestion of “sibling divorce” drove me to the floor on my face, sobbing, then quietly trying to sort out what – or who, exactly–went wrong, and whether or not we could ever patch together any semblance of camaraderie. I couldn’t accept the fact that I was an ordained minister who was unable to get along with my only sister, but I couldn’t see a way forward in the relationship. My mind was a whirlwind of utter confusion and sorrow.
Then I did what our dad and lifelong mediator had taught us to do; I got quiet some more. He always called it “waiting on God.” Before long, I “heard” something supernatural, something no therapist could have likely thought to say, not having observed our relationship over the years: “You have never truly accepted each other, as-is.” Those words flooded my soul like bright light, and a hundred pounds of perplexity fell off me. I felt “shock and awe”--awe at being so completely and suddenly freed by the truth, and shock that I hadn’t arrived at this realization on my own.
I’d always prided myself on my ability to accept those who were different from me. It was one thing I wanted to be known for, and to some degree, I was known for. I could love anybody of any stripe–except my sister, who shared the same red hair, bold voice, big smile, passionate spirit and love for God. But we were “too different” to love each other. I told her... [Continue Reading]
Well my friends, thank you for reading my very belated newsletter on this special Valentine's Day. I pray you are doing well and growing in grace, mercy, love...and all the things that can't be bought :) And if you have a story, please send it over!
With deep love,
Joy
|
 | Powered by YMLP.com | |
| | ||