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So often I count on finding joy through my circumstances - but you know where that ends up?  If I'm waiting for a sunny-side up, trouble free day, well, I'll come to the end of my life a curdled old sour puss because, as Jesus says, each day has enough troubles of its own. Here's… Continue reading Murphy's law and joy →

I’m sitting here on the floor of Synod (metaphorically speaking - I'm actually I'm sitting on a chair), right at the front of the podium, so close I’m likely to get spit on by the President of Synod (you can check out the webcast at http://www.crcna.org/pages/synod_front.cfm).  There’s a massive pipe organ that rises up and… Continue reading Synod glee →

Today I flew to Chicago for the CRC Synod, putting me in line for a run through the joy gauntlet – U.S. Customs and airport security.  I pull into the customs area and my heart sank seeing that the line-up is backed way up, and as I snake my way through zig-zagging line-up I’m getting… Continue reading Running the joy gauntlet →

One of the best experienced teachers on joy has to be my favourite Oxford don, and court jester, Clive Staples Lewis.  In the quote below, he's describing a moment on a train when he felt invited to experience something more than the train journey.  He surgically articulates those subtle, mostly unnoticed, movements of the heart that… Continue reading Surrender to joy →

What does joy sound like?  For me, so much music reverberates with joy.  Music has to be some audible echoe of the inexpressible joy in God's heart.  I'd love to hear from you - what music, what band puts a lilt in your step and a smile on your face?  One blast of joy that I love comes… Continue reading Listening for joy →

Can the experience of joy and the condition busyness coexist?  Well if yesterday was any indicator, I’d say no.  It was a full-out day, moving from one meeting to a next conference call onto another conversation, with hardly a moment to exhale.  I quickly skated through the day without a thought towards joy.  But was… Continue reading Hurry up and be joyful already →

What does joy look like to you?  My wife Betty gave me a comic glimpse as she came undone with joy. We were sitting at our dining room table before heading off for bed.  Betty was reading a magazine article (see link below if you want to know what makes Betty chuckle – between laughs, she gasps… Continue reading Six-pack joy →

Yesterday we began a message series at our church (River Park CRC, a really great church, by the way, of which I take little to no credit for). We're focusing on joy because despite our church's really fine quality, we've been pretty mopey lately, looking like Eeyore and that cloud that follows him around. We're inviting everyone… Continue reading Choose Joy – day 1 →

With a nod to Georges Bernanos (Diary of a Country Priest), here goes this blog. I have to say I'm a Johnny-come-lately Luddite to the blogosphere, so bear with me as I get the hang of this. But what about the blog name.  What I'm after in this blog is a place where I can think out… Continue reading Blog of an urban pastor →