Joy

Each month, the school where I teach showcases one character trait from the Chick-Fil-A Core Essentials program.  This month the word is joy, and the definition the program gives is "finding a way to be happy even when things don't go your way."

Joy.  How many of us can say we truly have this in our lives?  Joy isn't something that just happens...we have to look for it.  

I remember last year on December 14th the fourth graders at my school were on a field trip to Stone Mountain,Georgia.  We'd spent most of the day out in the cold walking endlessly as we toured an old plantation and shops.  The group of kiddos I was with decided to venture indoors for a while to this huge indoor play area.  While they were running around and being kids, I sat down for the first time that day and checked my phone.  When I pulled up Facebook, my page was bombarded with the news of a shooting in Connecticut.  As I read the reports, tears filled my eyes and I watched those sweet children that I'd grown to love so much since August run and play without a care in the world.  After sending up a prayer for the families of those children and teachers who lost their lives, I sent up another one thanking God for watching over the kids in my life.  

How do you find joy in such a tragedy?

I saw this video posted on a friend's Facebook page earlier, and that word joy rang out to me clear as could be.  See for yourself.  Even in the darkest of hours, joy can be found.