Just When You Need It

JOY in Our Life: Just When You Need It!   Waiting my turn in the commercial vehicles lane at the U.S border in Lewiston NY was taking longer than I had patience for on a hot day. The noonday sun was putting everything into shining relentlessly. To get there I had driven two hours in heavy traffic to pick up Mum, then about 50 minutes more to get to the border where we waited in a van with a broken air conditioner. I was hot, sweating profusely, over tired, very hungry, and generally not feeling overly full of JOY.   Encouragement comes just when you need it. And no, it is not a coincidence. I was unable to capture in this photo the huge message etched into the dust on the back door of the white truck beside me.  When I spotted it I burst out laughing at the timeliness. The message:  Jesus loves U !  As I drove by the truck a little dog was barking from the open passenger window.  It had zany, spiky hair and looked quite comical. The happy pup was obviously quite at home. Perhaps his or her mission is to spread JOY and laughter even in unbearable conditions.   Watch for unexpected JOY.  Just when I needed it God’s message of love and His messenger of comic relief brought to my melting body and to my sagging spirit a mighty infusion  of JOY.   By Rev. Maxine R McLellan