Volleyball and Birthdays

Have you been watching the Olympics like we have?

May I just say -

I'm so very thankful that my work uniform does NOT look like the one the beach volleyball Olympians are required to wear?! And can you imagine not only having to don that attire each day but also playing volleyball competitively in front of millions of television viewers?!

Yep, pretty sure I could single-handedly extinguish the enthusiasm for beach volleyball after a single match if someone requested that I leap, lunge, or otherwise loudly participate in that mid-drift, baring sport! (Run-on sentence totally necessary!) I'm just sayin'.........

I most likely will return to the topic of the Olympics later this week. But for today, I have a more delightful topic to share.

Twenty-seven years ago yesterday, a precious blue-eyed, brown-haired beauty made her appearance. We named her Alicia Joy, after our moms; Alice and Joyce. While praying about what to call her, the Lord whispered to us, "Call her 'Joy' because that's what she will bring to your family." And so she has!

Her name means "One who rejoices in truth!" Which worked out very well any time she was tempted as a child to fudge the truth. I would look into those huge baby blues and calmly remind her, "Joy, you know you can't lie. Your name means one who rejoices in truth. Now, let's hear it!"

A few times she managed to hold out for about an hour. But eventually it would get to her. She would stomp into my room, lay out the actual facts, shake her head in frustration, demand to know why we named her that, then stomp back out! Gotta smile.

Her premature birth became a miraculous testimony which I'll detail for you one day. The short version involves undeveloped lungs. A disease that claimed the lives of many infants. Nine days in a NICU with doctors and nurses trying to prepare us for the worst. Young, terrified parents who only knew to pray and ask God to spare her life.

Going home from that hospital with empty arms carved a mark on my soul that remains til today. I will always have compassion for women who experience this for any reason!

Alicia Joy made a last minute turn-around. (Or at least, that's how Dr. Yoder described it.) We know that prayers of many people were heard in Heaven and, to our great delight, God chose to heal our baby girl.

As a teen she loved telling that out of the three girls, she ended up with the best set of lungs. And that really was the truth!

Today Joy juggles the hats of Wife, Mother, Youth Pastor, Sister, Daughter, Friend. And she does it all with such grace that I know the Holy Spirit must truly be at work in her life!

Happy Birthday, My Angel! Thank you for the 'Joy' you continue to bring to all those around you!!