On Joy

I have recently gotten the opportunity to share in the joy of two of my closest friends. One of them recently entered into a relationship that has been anticipated for some time. It has been a long journey and I was fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to share in just about every rise and fall and twist and turn that has brought her this far. I am so happy for her. Another of my friends recently got a job for which she had been hoping for quite some time. It was such a huge answer to prayer for her, and it is something she deserves. Somehow I knew she would get it, although there was a long wait between the final interview and word that she has officially received the position. I am so happy for her as well. I found out about both of these joyous circumstance in the same night within almost an hour of eachother. My heart was almost bursting for my friends. I had been hoping with and praying for these friends for a long time and to have such radically positive answers to these prayers was astounding. God is faithful. I know he does not always give us the answers that we seek, but he always knows exactly how to bless us.
I did get to partake of a little joy of my own. It was not quite so dramatic as the situations surrounding my friends, but it was joy nonetheless.
There was frost this morning.
That is not earth changing news. It went unremarked or unnoticed by many people surrounding me, but I was ready to celebrate it. My heart leapt when I looked out of my window to see a field of grass with every blade polished with silver. Fall is securely here now. The leaves have been revealing themselves more and more, but now they are going to hasten to glory. Autumn is by far my favourite season, and this was a sign that it is approaching its climax. And today was such a glorious day to bring this first frost. The sun is shining brightly, but the air is brisk, and there are chill gusts of wind drifting in and out. I love it. Fall is so wonderful.