My New JOY Item

I tend to find a new JOY item every holiday. There are tender memories associated with JOY (see here) but I wouldn't trade those memories. I actually re-read my post about my JOY ornaments before writing and had forgotten about the bookmarks. When I saw the JOY item I instantly new exactly where I was going to put it. When I get past all the "birthday" and get to the "Christmas" decorations, I will hopefully get another picture up. I hope I am able to keep the meaning of JOY in the forefront of my mind this season. 

 

I have a Mom story to share. One of my college roommates has returned to SBU as a professor in the Education Department. On one assignment, a student wrote about a "spelling hangman" game that she remembered. She had to give a reference for her game and she wrote, "Mrs. Osterberg." Our God is a God of details. This student had Mom in 3rd Grade and remembered this game for her assignment. (Who remembers that!) She is now in college, with a teacher that had met Mom. She could have gone anywhere and had any teacher! My roommate posted on my facebook wall, "Your Mom's legacy is still living on!"

 

Don't worry Katie. I got one for you too.

JOY

After Mom died, I saw an ornament in a shop in ES with my MIL. I think she actually bought it for me. The word 'JOY' continues to remind me of mom. I remember her homemade bookmark with the letters spelling JOY going vertical and the red and green yarn that topped it. She loved the acronym of JOY: J-Jesus first, O-Others second, Y-Yourself last. I remember looking at a book of her's after she was gone, that flipped open where the bookmark was. The topic was joy. Dad and I were not shocked, just quietly said, "Of course." While she loved the word, its important to point out that joy overflowed her life. And J-O-Y was how she lived her life. I hope one day joy fills my tree.

I was shopping on Black Friday and found wrapping paper that said joy, that of course I purchased. I was standing there with Katie and told her that I had a thing for the word JOY. She said she did too. It's her middle name. Mom would really like her.