JOY -- another tag!

I saw this meme begin on Holly Lisle's blog a couple of days ago, and thought it might eventually come around here to roost. Thanks, Tina. I think! Here it is:

THE SEARCH FOR JOY

Search your blog for the word “joy” used in the context of “happiness.” If you cannot find the word in your weblog, you may use any of the select list of synonyms below.

joy — amusement, bliss, cheer, comfort, delectation, delight, ecstasy, elation, exaltation, exultation, exulting, felicity, gaiety, gladness, glee, good humor, gratification, happiness, hilarity, humor, jubilance, liveliness, merriment, mirth, pleasure, rapture, regalement, rejoicing, revelry, satisfaction, wonder

If you’ve found the word and it was not used facetiously or sarcastically, good for you. All you need to do is link to your earlier entry, and write a few words about that joyous moment. If, however, you have no joy (whole words only) in your weblog, you must dig deep in your soul and find something wonderful in your life right now. One little thing that fills you with warmth, that bubbles you over with quiet happiness, or tickles you with its good-hearted hilarity, or makes you glad you just took a breath, and are getting ready to take another. It doesn’t have to be anything big. A smile someone gave you; your cat on your shoulder; the way the light angles through your window and casts rainbows on your floor. All it has to be is something genuine, something real, something that matters to you.

Because we all need joy in our lives, and need to take the time — from time to time — to recognize it. And sometimes, we need to pass it on.

Even if we’re a big pain in the ass when we do.

When you’ve dealt with your own joy, pass the quest on to five other bloggers.

***

Do you know something? Apparently in the ten and a half months I have been on blogspot, I have not used the word JOY once. That's embarrassing. My understanding of the word *joy* is that it is an underlying satisfaction in one's life, rather than *happiness*, which can come and go with the weather. There is much in my life that gives me true joy.

I find great joy in my relationship with Jesus, who gave himself for me.

I find great joy in my husband, Jim, in my kids and kids-in-law, in my friends both in Real Life and here on the web. You all mean a lot to me, in that understated supportive way. I love you!

I hereby tag:
Mar, who sprung the last one on me.
Maripat, because I know she wants to.
Lisa, because now I know she's reading my blog after all.
EJ, because she was so excited to be tagged last time.
Linda Ruth, because to the best of my knowledge, she doesn't KNOW she was tagged last time yet.