“Joy is one of the best safeguards against temptation. The devil is a carrier of dust and dirt and he uses every opportunity to throw what he has at us. But a joyful heart protects us from this dirt. That is because Jesus is there in our joy. Jesus takes full possession of our soul when we surrender to him joyfully. ” ~ Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
Throwing Joy
Our house is built with bricks
our babies hold together
they make the mortar
by being present
with hearts, souls, bodies, and minds
they mix our love with light
and it is through them we see
and choose each other nightly, daily,
hour by hour,
minute by minute
we watch the dirt collect in corners, on ledges,
beneath beds, in the dark
light comes in waves
and darkness undulates
until we’re able to choose the lamp
that keeps burning even when we can’t see it
it shines through those young eyes,
and we know joy,
and joyfully we choose bricks
of hope and healing
that shelter us through all that rain
we’ll throw joy at the storm seeping through the pain.