Infectious Joy

Good morning, world! Joy is a contagion!

Did you know it? Let me give you a brief account of what happened to me yesterday as I was doing a bit of shopping in the grocery store. If you are a fruit lover, then you know the joy that comes upon you when you see a basket of large, juicy succulent grapes piled high. The first thing that comes to your mind is how those grapes would taste as they tickled your tongue and the juice from them wrapped your tongue in the nurturing presence of the grapes after your teeth had pierced their sweetness. Ha, ha, some of you are salivating about those grapes right now. (tee hee) Well, yesterday when I saw those grapes that is something along the lines of what I was thinking. But I was in my own little graped-induced world, just thinking about how good they would taste. I was saying over and over somewhat softly to myself, "Oh my goodness, oh, my goodness." I must have had a look of wonder on my face because a man who did not know me, looked at what I was looking at and then said to me, "You know they are something, aren't they? You get all three kinds in the one basket."  He had that same look of wonder that I imagine that he saw on mine. My joy in the grapes had become a contagion. I said, "Yes, sir, they are and then I got mine and went on about my business leaving him to do what he would about the grapes. Later, I saw him and looked into his cart and, sure enough, he had his package of grapes. I filed that back into my memory banks and finished my shopping.
     Now, look at me, spreading my joy about the grapes and my Lord to you. Yep, this little blog of mine stretches miles and miles to reach across many boundaries be they racial, political (countries), familial, economic, etc. This blog leaps from heart to heart as it traverses over hills, mountains, dells, hamlets, seacoasts, and skips across oceans to bring joy, contentment, peace of mind, and relief from stress to hearts the world over. It even manages, at times, to touch hearts thought long jaded. Ah, the stroke of a pen via a vessel of clay working for the glory of God!
    When I asked Lord to use me in His service,  I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would one day be writing a blog that would reach around the world. Yes, I told Him in a moment of prayerful adoration and fervor that I loved Him so much that I would stand on top of the tallest mountain in the world and shout my love for Him. I meant it then and still do now. I am just awestruck somewhat this morning because I realize the magnitude of the blessing that He has afforded me. He blessed me so that I could bless you through this blog of mine and through my books by allowing me to pour the soothing balm of assurance into some hearts, minds and /or psyches that have been wounded or beat down by the machinations of cruelty or inconsiderateness found in our world.
     Look at it like this. When you fix toast in the mornings, and you take that hot bread fresh from the oven or the toaster and spread butter over it, that bread drinks that butter like a rain-starved landscape does when long-awaited rain does finally come. That is the way that I like to think of my blog doing for each of you. Yes, spreading some much-needed love the world over.
     Going to worship this morning, Y'all and I am going to give Him praise, and yes, I will pray for you, too. Why? Well, because that is what He wants me to do because He said, "Love your fellowman as yourself." I paraphrased that, but you get my drift.

     Thank You, Lord for allowing me to serve You by allowing me to serve my fellowman. Please bless each of these, my blog readers today with the assurance of your love. Please soothe out hurts, eradicate the wounds of injustice and provide from your bounty, the things that they need. Asking for a special care package of the assurance of your love for each of them. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.

 Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I  Care,
Alma L. Stepping On Jones

I hope that my joy has become a contagion for you just like it did for the gentleman in the store yesterday.

Created a bastion 

Of joy that has become 

A contagion.