Because You Really Can Buy Happiness (and a Surprise)

They say that time is money.  And don’t I know it.  The minutes can slip through my fingers much faster than coins at the counter.  My bank account may be dwindling while all these doctor and dentist (!) and diaper bills keep rising.  But really, truly, it’s seconds not silver, it’s moments not money that fill pockets.

They also say that money can’t buy love.  And I suppose that this is true.  No amount of time stacked together can pile up and turn the eye of another compassionately toward me.

But these days, I’m slowly learning what this medium of exchange, what time really can buy.

At the end of a long morning, we drive home and Carolyn says to turn it up.  We sing it together, all of us, these words-

‘Sing for Joy to the Lord.’

I’m a bit sad and a bit anxious and a bit lonely but I do it, I sing.  We all do.  The day seems to change, the clouds lift a bit, the sun breaks through, even if just a bit.

I wonder, ‘Is it like this: ‘Will work for food…Will sing for joy.’

Is joy the salary for singing away the seconds to the Savior?  Can happiness be bought with the great commodity of time when it’s spent singing and shouting to God?

I test the psalmist.  In the early morning when I’m burdened and dreading and worried, I sing a little song (Abide With Me).  A few hours later, when I’m fixing breakfast and lunch and unloading the dishes from last night and calming hungry kids, I sing a little song (Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts).  When I’m harried and hurried, I sing a little song (Where Can I Go From Your Spirit).  At every turn in the day, when I’m likely to spend my time on the junk food and dollar store throwaways, I try to develop some new spending habits.

I try to see the moment for what it is, an almighty dollar that should be spent in praise to the Almighty God.  And the more I sing, the more I find the Psalmist to be right.  No matter how much joy you have at the moment, the way to get more is to sing and shout aloud, to spend your time praising the Joy Giver.

This Monday I wake up already behind schedule, already feeling like my pockets that hold the pennies of time have holes.  Time just seems to be slipping away.  But I slip into this space here, to bend and kneel and make a list of songs I’ll sing today, a list of praises I’ll shout today.  If there’s time to buy anything today, I want to spend all my hard cash here-singing for joy to the Lord who did all the hard work to grant me this joy in Him.

A Surprise Giveaway

Can I tell you how Seeds Family Worship has impacted our family?  We ordered our first two CDs at Christmas and gave the extra copies to friends who then purchased the rest of the albums and shared those with us.  We have all six of the Seeds albums now and God has quickly put these verses into our heads.  The music is fun and actually enjoyable for both the kids and adults to listen.  And the words?  These are His Words, straight from Scripture, put to music.  These albums make it easy to spend your precious time in praise to the precious Savior.

I recently met a representative from Seeds who gave me 2 sample albums.  I’d love to send these two albums to two of you and help you sing more for joy.  All you have to do is leave a comment here, link to Facebook and email me at burningbushesblog@gmail.com to let me know you’ve done so or like the Burning Bushes (hopefully more regularly updated in the days ahead) Facebook page here.

If you’d like to listen to the some of Seeds songs and sing for joy today, go here.

The giveaway will close this Sunday.

60 Days of Prayer

Will you sing and pray for the joy of Rwanda today?  As God grants us more joy in Him, let’s pray that this joy will spread to all corners of the earth?

 

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