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One of my friends said that they have missed my Blogs for a while now – which was nice of him.

Well, there are reasons – one of which them is that my wife has been very very sick – went to Hospital for a minor op, she went in well and caught what they said is a ”hospital bug”, came out in need of full and total care for a month, plus another month of recovery time. The next reason I said, is that I can only write / type when I've got something fresh ... from my heart or the word … to say – can't manufacture it otherwise.

Well, this one is helped by a single cup of coffee - like I should know by now ! I love coffee, but only drink decaffinated - or like today, one cup of the real brew and I'm all go for about 20 hours – often till near dawn the next morning !   Obviously we're not all the same in that way.
So, awake long after Midnight – here I am !   Wide awake, and looking above.

And, recalling a little old style picture that my Mother hung in my room as a child – right over my bed, which I read so many times over the years growing up. It said “ I will JOY in the God of my Salvation”  from Habakkuk 3:18  in part,  the first part of which is  “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord”    and I have found that this is one of the keys of life … the true  J O Y
but which cannot be manufactured, or come from a bottle, or a drug packet, … but is a fruit of the Holy Spirit Himself, along with love and peace plus 6 other attributes Galatians 5:22
that transcends any situation or circumstance that we experience …
A N Y at all

Paul wrote Philippians while in a prison cell, and probably a stinking one at that !    Yet the word JOY or  REJOICING  is there    15 times by my count
He knew it also .. in a prison cell, with their feet in stocks, at MIDNIGHT – the darkest hour, he and Silas prayed and sang praises – so loud that the other prisoners heard them – and so did this planet, so much so that a great earthquake occurred that all the doors were opened and every ones bands were loosed Acts 16:25 >     and the prisons Manager was converted and REJOICED also    verse 34
The  JOY of the Lord  is my strength says   Nehemiah 8:10 …. he knew it back then !

And David the Psalmist knew it … in your presence is FULLNESS OF JOY   Psalm 16:11

A W Tozer wrote “ Christians are not known, but by their singing,   through each and every situation”    Only Gods own can do that - to “smile at the storm” as it were !

One fellow pilgrim I knew many moons ago now - I recall his very last words to me as he got out of my car, with his own inimitable smile –   AND AGAIN I SAY  –   R E J O I C E after Philippians 4:4 …    he had found the same secret too !

Peter knew it also - Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love, in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing you REJOICE,  with  J O Y  UNSPEAKABLE  and full of glory        1 Peter 1:8
The early Church ones knew the gladness – inner Joy and appreciation    Acts 2:46

Oh this is so blessed … even in the writing of this topic !
I recall hearing of a survey done among USA students as to what they desired and were seeking first and foremost in life ?    Their main answers were LOVE JOY PEACE   which happen to be the first 3 FRUITS of the HOLY SPIRIT    of Galatians 5:22 again their only trouble was that most were looking in the wrong places – like alcohol,. drugs and sex. etc etc

Could it be …    Know GOD  =  KNOW  JOY       No  GOD  =  No  JOY     as many seek it elsewhere but in vain

A merry heart does good LIKE a MEDICINE    Proverbs 17:22      so it brings health benefits also          To learn ... not to take oneself too seriously.

also  ...   he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast     Proverbs 15:15   which I have found to be true
But where I started …. “ I will J O Y in the God of my Salvation ”
Amazing …. its an act of the will !!
“ I    W I L L    J O Y in the God of my Salvation ”