"OH JOY!!"

Dear All Of Us,

It's pretty personal, I know.
But here goes anyway.

Down deep, 
just how joyful are you?

That's not meant 
to be prying or nosy.
It is meant
to highlight,
to underscore,
to lift up, 
to focus, 
head and heart
on soul center. 
That's because 
joy is the strength of The Spirit 
right there at center city soul.
Our whole spiritual life 
is profoundly effected by 
the presence or absence of joy.

Joy is a measure, an indicator,
and most of all the result of 
spiritual well being. 
Please allow me 
to personalize that just a happy bit.

Years ago I worked with 
a wonderful woman named Sadie.
She was a for real, 
hard working, large hearted,
somewhat rough and ready person.
When bottoms gave way,
when skies fell, 
when supports collapsed, 
when everything that could go wrong 
did so in spades, 
Sadie would always belt out,

          "Oh Joy!!"

She did that when 
there didn't seem to be
any signs or sprouts of joy
across five counties
in all four directions.
It was part exasperation,
part resignation and 
very much prayer

Sadie knew joy was a strength 
deep down in her soul.
She was determined that
she wouldn't loose touch 
with that strength
no matter how stressed
she was on the surface.

Sadie would also belt out
    
          "Oh Joy!"

when things went swimmingly,
when a kindness, beauty 
or goodness came her way.
She'd get excited 
at the sight of a new born baby,
at balancing her checking account 
first time through,
at a gorgeous sunset,
at a really special supper,
at a friend's surprise visit.

Sadie knew joy came 
from a connection 
deep down in her soul
with the very goodness of God.
She freely let it surface
in response, voice and smile.


This hard scrabble woman 
was one of the most 
joy filled people 
I ever met.
She was no Pollyanna.
She did not live in La La Land.
She was not naïve.
She was one savvy lady.
She had a fairly hard life.
She also exuded a profound, 
settled, soulful peace and

              JOY

Plus, she had one really 
outrageous sense of humor!!!!

Please let me offer 
a few reflections on joy
because it is so central 
to our spiritual lives.

First off, it is important 
to differentiate
            joy
                happiness
                               pleasure.
They all three are second cousins,
not identical twins plus one.
They all three are about well being.
Well being in the body is pleasure.
Well being in the mind/emotions is happiness.
Well being in center city soul is joy.

Joy is soul strength.
It glows out from being centered
in the Holy Spirit, 
the Spirit of Wholeness,
Put another way, 
joy comes from being centered 
in the energy field that is God.
Joy emanates from an ethos
pure, unpolluted, energizing.
Joy is catching our breath ("spiritus")
in the fullest, most empowering way.

Joy is like a tree right rooted
and no matter the storm.

Joy is the soul smiling 
          in delight 
             and 
       through tears 
           as well.

 Joy is strong, confident, 
 tranquil and grateful.

            Joy is 

GLADNESS OF SPIRIT.


Joy steadies and glows 
in life's goodness
and in its storms.

When geologist go to earth's core
they find molten energy.

In our spiritual lives 
we are invited to go 
to our core and be energizes
by the intensity there
of God's Presence and Love , 
                      by

      The Fruits of That Spirit
           
          love               joy       
          peace            patience       
          kindness       generosity    
          faithfulness   gentleness  
                  self-control
    
           nine empowerments, 
               nine radiances,
                   nine hues 
                        of
         The Immortal Diamond 
                 at our core, 
          at our base in Being.

We can't make ourselves joyful.
We can let The Holy Spirit do that.

A lot to ponder and pray about.

In the coming week let's 
quiet mind,
open heart,
free fall to our center,
our base in Being
and relax into Oneness with God.
Then and there
The Holy Spirit 
will strengthen
and energize us in

             JOY

GLADNESS OF SPIRIT.


If you want the joy 
of a really good read 
for this whole Lenten week,
              en"joy"
   
        The Book of Joy

        The Dalai Lama
                 and
Archbishop Desmond TuTu.
         

It is a joy to share here 
each week with you.
Thanks for the company!


Holding us all joyfully in
The Love Who Is God,

     John Frank


PS:

Attached at the end 
of this week's posting  is

              JOY
POINTS FOR PRAYER.

      It's offered as a 
Lenten focus and support

              *****

References;
     -  Fruits of the Spirit
            Galatians 5: 22-23
      - Immortal Diamond
            Gerard Manley Hopkins
              That Nature is a
              Heracitean Fire
              and the consolation of the
              Resurrection

         



Our little 
Soul Share here is  blest
with new folks each week.
That's thanks 
in large part to 
so many of you 
who tell others about our
weekly gathering
in person and through 
your social media contacts.
Thanks so much!
And a warm welcome 
to all new this week to  

          "frankly speaking"

* is posted online each Friday 
     johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
  (easily bookmarked for ready access)

* is available each Saturday 
  by free and automatic email -
  sign up above

* past postings are available at
  Blog Archive - lower right column

                   *****
      

                   JOY
   
       POINTS FOR PRAYER




"As the Father has loved me,
 so I have loved you; 
 abide in my love.
 If you keep my commandments, 
 you will abide in my love, 
 just as I have kept 
 my Father's commandments
 and abide in his love.
 I have said these things to you 
 so that my joy may be in you,
 and your joy may be complete."
                             John 15:9-11

How completely 
do I "abide" in Jesus and  
keep his commandments?
How complete is my joy? 

              ***** 
    
"Rejoice in the Lord always;
 again I say, Rejoice."
                    Philippians 4: 4

What are some right at home,
at work, on the street ways
that I can "re - joy " always 
in the Lord?

               *****

"The prospect of the righteous
 is joy..."
                     Proverbs 10:28

What are some things in me 
that are right and give 
free flow to joy?

How about the opposite?

                 *****

"When anxiety was great within me,
 your consolation brought me joy."
                                   Psalm 94:19

What are high anxiety stressors in me?
How do I open them to God's consolation?

                    *****

"Shout for joy to the Lord,
  all the earth."
                                    Psalm 100:1-2

Where/how can I "hear " all the earth
 "shout for joy to the Lord."?

                       *****

"In your presence is fullness of joy."
                                              Psalm 16:11

What's most present to me most of the time? 
Where do I actually hang out emotionally,
attention/preoccupation wise most of the time?
How present am I to joy?

                         *****

"The Lord has done great things for us,
  and we are filled with joy."
                                                Psalm 126:3

What are the top ten greatest things 
the Lord has done/is doing for me -
is the joy getting through, filling me?

                          *****

"If you carry joy in your heart,
 you can heal any moment."
                                                 Carlos Santana

What am I carrying around 
in my heart most of the time?
What most needs the healing of joy
in me and about me in these my moments?

   ****************************************************