Because Natalie is studying asynchronous video communication for her PhD work, I decided I should stretch myself and join the Marco Polo group of widows and widowers to which I had been invited. There are about twenty of us though maybe six or seven of us that carry the conversation. I enjoy these men and women who stretch from coast to coast and even up into Canada. I am the newest widow – November 30 marks five months for me. Another friend is just one month ahead of me and the others stretch from just over a year to several years.

Every couple of days there is a question posed and last week someone asked how we all felt about the possibility of JOY and SORROW coexisting in one life and even at one moment.

No hesitation. Every one of us quickly agreed that this is possible and a good description about how we live. We each have an obvious source of sorrow. Sources of joy include children and grandchildren, testimony of life after death, warm memories of their spouse, etc. One lady who is my age spoke of the four years that she cared for her husband and all of the painful treatments and procedures that he endured with the hope to stay alive for one more day or even a few more hours. She said he would come out of anesthesia (or from a treatment) and give her a big smile and she would return the smile – caring for her husband resulted in joy. (I totally get that!)

These experiences and feelings are all things to which I can relate. As I listened to them share I had these thoughts form in my mind…

We know that Christ atoned for our sins. Through His grace we can be made clean again. But wait! There is so much more! He did not suffer for sins alone – He suffered for our sufferings, pains and hardships of every kind. This is the reason that we can turn to Him and plead for relief and healings of every kind.

Also – we know that He is the source of JOY.

Therefore – as we turn to Him in our sorrows, as we reach out to Him in our suffering – how can we help but catch some of that JOY in the process?

What a fabulous, beautiful and glorious plan! JOY TO THE WORLD!!