joy

I've been thinking about joy. What is it? From where does it come? How do we find it? Is it a state or is it a feeling? I read a definition once: joy is knowing that we are loved by God. I like that. I have a feeling that is why I have always found such joy in being with little children. They are truly gifts from God. In many ways, they show us that God loves us.

When I think about being joyful, I always focus on the blessings in my life. During my childbearing years, it was such a privilege to be a participant in the miracle of new birth! Each child was unique, right from the earliest beginning of his or her life. My first child was only 6 weeks from conception when he or she died but was a blessing to me all the same because I learned that I didn't have control over such things, I learned to appreciate all my children...I learned that length of time on earth isn't really important compared to all of eternity. There have been tons of blessings like this, starting with the people in my life. All of the blessings in my life have shown me God's love in one way or another. All have brought me tremendous joy.

In my work at the center, the greatest joy I have is when a client brings her newborn baby into the center for us to meet. It is especially profound when she's been one who was going to have an abortion but didn't. Not long ago, a woman called, telling me she was suicidal and thinking about having an abortion. She was two months pregnant. In the hour we spent on the phone that day, I found out that she was living with bipolar disorder and had taken herself off her medication when she found out she was pregnant. At the end of our conversation, I asked her to do three things and to call me back when she'd done them. (My thought was that she wouldn't commit suicide if she had things she had to get done and was accountable to someone for them.) I told her the first thing she must do is call her psychiatrist as soon as we hung up so her medication could be regulated. I asked her if I could call her if I didn't hear from her in a few days. She said I could. To my surprise, she called back the next day, having done all the things. (She had an appointment with her doctor that very day!) We were in weekly contact for the next 7 months and, one day, she brought her little son for me to meet. (I cried, holding this precious one!) She told me later that she had made 4 appointments to have an abortion and didn't keep any of them. She has been so grateful for her child! She's thanked me, over and over, for being there for her. Little children truly bring joy...if we can just see it that way. So many times our clients are overwhelmed, over-tired, incredibly stressed. For them, it's hard to see their children as blessings from God. I always pray for them. Please, could you, too?