IF THE SIGHT OF THE blue skies FILLS
YOU WITH joy, IF A blade
of grass
springing UP IN THE FIELDS HAS
POWER TO MOVE YOU, IF THE simple
things OF NATURE HAVE A MESSAGE
THAT YOU understand, REJOICE, FOR
YOUR SOUL IS alive.
– ELEONORA DUSE
Celebration
REMEMBERING GOD’S
mighty acts
Celebrate:
to praise widely; proclaim; make known publicly.
THE ESSENCE OF LIFE IS JOY. The challenge of joy is consistency. And
in spite of a deluge of emphasis given to “celebrating life”, we don’t
always. We long to. Every woman’s heart craves the rest, passion, and
energy of authentic celebration. But life is hard, the deadlines descend;
plans rearrange; relationships shake. Our joy is easily plundered.
In retaliation, “celebration” has come in vogue. One of the buzz-words
making its way around Christian communities, the concept of “celebration”
too often gets represented as the handyman guaranteed to renovate our
run-down, beat up hearts. We all want to feel happy, like life is a party.
But I do not believe this is the goal God had in mind when He told us to
“Rejoice evermore”! Celebration is more than a good time; it is worship
inspired by recognition of God’s mighty acts.
A heart of celebration is a joyous thing. We get pretty creative in the
quest for it. Yet making lists of gifts is not enough. Bigger, more Pinterest-y
parties won’t help. Willing ourselves to smile through suffering doesn’t
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by Rae Schrock
Photography by Jessica Burdge
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