The Joy of Mindy

No, pink isn't really 'me', but I was getting tired of black.

So this morning I was looking up the word for joy on e-sword and I discovered an interesting thing: most of the Hebrew words related to joy derive from actions. That means that the root words for things like joy, rejoice, exult, and be glad all come from these action words- 'to be bright', 'to shine', 'to spring', 'to leap', 'shouting', and 'to go in a circle'. I love that last one! It means 'to dance in a circle'. (evidence that they danced the hora back then?)

This all reminded me of an argument that Mindy and I had in Bible School. I was anticipating something exciting and happy in my life but she was't sure that I was really as excited as I said I was. After all, I wasn't acting excited. If you were truly excited and happy you would squeal and jump around and smile all the time, right? I rolled my eyes in disgust and firmly told her that you could be just as deeply excited and happy inside and not show it on the outside.
She was not convinced.
Of course I was right, right?
Nobody won the argument, of course.

But somehow when I think of Mindy in heaven, all those active words come to mind to describe her unspeakable joy- Mindy shines with joy, she bounces through heaven for joy with shouts of praise, with joyful laughter Mindy dances before her King...
Few people in my life have given me a greater example of what it meant to be joyful in life and I can only imagine her joy now.

I can't argue with her now and I don't want to; I just hope and trust that God will give me the kind of joy that causes me to sing, to dance, to shout uninhibited praise to my King.