Full of Joy

I send a lot of Christmas cards, and consequently, I get a lot of Christmas cards. You may even have sent me one.

There is one card I got, though, that is my favorite. It's not because it had the cutest picture, although it was cute. And it's not because it was handmade, which it was. It's not because it had a lengthy verse of scripture which I skipped over to get to the hand-written note, but it did have that and I did skip over it. It's not because it had a gift or a witty newsletter, as it had neither. This card simply filled me with Joy.

Do you remember back in the Spring, when I told you about some friends who had a baby right before Thanksgiving last year? If not, go refresh your memory. Anyway, they had a son who only lived five hours. It was very hard on them, as you might imagine. But they are strong people. Good people. They are better people than I.

There, on the front of their Christmas card, they are smiling. Not just smiles, but big broad smiles. Joyful smiles. Smiles that prove that no matter what the past has dealt them, they are persevering. And expecting a baby in March. A girl. And I teared up just a little thinking about how happy I am for them.