Joy in the morning

"Sing praise to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime his goodwill.
At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing."
Psalm 30:5-6

Scripture can seem like just words on a page unless we can trace back through our lives and see the times we have lived the words.  I remember, about a million years ago, when life was difficult and there was  a song we sang at the youth masses called "Yes, Lord." It had a refrain that included this line, "the night is dark but joy comes in the morning."  I remember taking such comfort in that line that I would tear up while singing it. Scripture, indeed, comes alive, my Friends.  And the joy, indeed, comes in the morning.  The hard part, though, is getting through the long, dark night.  It seems so dark and so long and God may seem very far away.  This time of year exemplifies the long, dark night for us, physically as well as metaphorically.  As early as the end of next week, there will be .03 more minutes of daylight, the day after the winter solstice! That tiny little glimmer of light is just how our Gracious God comes to us...a small infant, a wee glimmer of light.  Today, let's pray especially for those who struggle this time of year, those who suffer in that long, dark night.  Families of loved ones who are ill and dying, families who are separated by anger and bitterness. People who are on the fringe of the happy lives we depict in our Christmas cards.  Those who feel they don't belong in our fragile little accepted society.  Pray their joyful dawn will come and that we may be able to help them until it does...Love, heidi