The day after Christmas Aspen watched the Veggie Tale movie, “Madame Blueberry.”  After watching the movie she walked up to me and asked, “Mommy, how come every time I get a new toy, I think I’m going to be happy, but I’m not?  And how come Madame Blueberry isn’t happy with all the stuff she has?”  I told her stuff doesn’t make people happy.  The only way to be truly happy is to be good friends with Jesus. 

This morning while drinking my freshly juiced vegetables I realized I hadn’t put my usual packet of stevia in it.  Since I had thrown a lime in the juicer it tasted tart without the sweetener.  I drank about half of it before I gathered the motivation to get off the couch and walk into the kitchen to pour a packet of stevia into the juice.  I stirred it briskly and took another sip.  My taste buds sparkled and I sat down to finish my juice with a new attitude of happiness.

The only difference between enjoying my juice or enduring it was the sweetener.   I can choose to trudge through my life or I can let the Holy Spirit add His sweetness to my life and live in the joy that only He can provide.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13

You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.  The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls.  1 Peter 1:8,9

 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24