Joy comes in the morning..

joy:
–noun

1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying

2. Synonyms:
rapture. bliss.

You open up your eyes. It's sunny. You actually get excited to get out of the bed and start the day. You jump in the shower- rushing through your routine to be able to get out of the door and into the beautiful world around you. You turn on your iPod and grab your hairbrush- proceeding to dance around the room for the duration of the song "Build me up Buttercup". Things feel happy. Things feel lovely. You skip out of the door, into the car, and just like that, you're off..

The alarm goes off and you slam the snooze button. Twice. Finally, the annoying sun shining in the window forces you to get up. Stomping to the bathroom, you slam the door off of the hinges. Every thought, word and action is a loud complaint from your heart, directed to anything or anyone that will take ear. Your iPod isn't playing any fun songs. Actually, you rather hate all the ones playing and wonder how they got on there in the first place. You can't find your headband. After searching for ten minutes, you realize you're late and sprint out the door towards the car..only to realize that your keys are still inside the house. Hello, new day.

Well, there are two examples of mornings in my life. Usually on Fridays, option one is the routine, while on Mondays, option two is the story. But.. I sort of like the in-between mornings. The mornings where, even after being annoyed by the sound of your alarm clock, you open your eyes to realize the sun is coming in the window- a beautiful reminder of God's warm arms. You trip walking to the bathroom, but you trip over the headband you've been looking for for a few weeks. You're iPod shuffles the best songs possible in order.. and you dance around, realizing your late, but not minding it so much. You run out the house, forgetting your keys.. but then realize there is a spare hidden in the yard. Win.

Is there ever any bright side for you? Actually. Scratch that. Different question: do you choose to see the brightside? Let's be honest.. it's always, always there. It's just a matter of whether you choose to open your eyes to it. God never gives you a 'bad day'. He gives you a day. A day for you to make the most of. A day for you to either love Him with your life.. or love yourself with your life. He wakes you up, gives your heart a beat and your lungs a breath and expects praise. He puts joy into your heart. He renews you. Daily. Every. Single. Morning.

So, will you let a lost headband and a tardy to school take away your joy? For some reason.. I feel like God intended joy to be complete, utter happiness. All the time. Like, even-when-I-feel-like-crying-or-running-away-because-I'm-so-sad times. Those are the times where joy takes over. Or rather.. the Creator of joy takes over.

Dictionary.com, I have to disagree with you though. Joy is not an 'emotion'. Joy is a part of you. Well, at least it's a part of people who know Christ. It is a gift from God that brings you peace in any day. Any situation. Pain stands no chance against joy if it's truly from Christ. Happiness is fleeting.. but joy is constant. It becomes a part of you. It raptures your heart. It shines out of you. It delights your soul.. just how your Maker intended it to.