I’ve been thinking a lot about how joy is connected to each of the monthly worship themes we are exploring this church year. Being intentional about ways to experience joy has been at the top of my personal list, and my church leadership list, of things to do this year! That is because we need joy to sustain us right now. There is too much going on in the world that is stealing our joy. But that’s the way authoritarian power wants it to be because that’s how they keep us from fighting back. And that’s one reason people protest in blow up frog costumes. And so, I want us to create as much joy together as possible.

This month, our quest for joy is linked to our theme of Nurturing Gratitude. I offer you insight into Brene Brown’s evidence based research on joy and gratitude (and encourage you to explore more of it on your own). And below that, there is a link to a gratitude practice that may help you reframe gratitude and deepen your experience with it.

Quote – Brene Brown

After 12 years of research and 11,000 pieces of data, I did not interview in all that time a person who would describe themselves as joyful or describe their lives as joyous who did not actively practice gratitude. And for me it was very counterintuitive because I went into the research thinking that if you’re joyful then you should be

grateful. But it wasn’t that way at all. It was really that practicing gratitude invites joy into our lives. And when I say practice – and this is the part that really changed my life – I don’t mean the attitude of gratitude or feeling grateful. I mean actually practicing gratitude. What these folks shared in common was a tangible gratitude practice.

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I want to express my gratitude for the joy we created yesterday during our worship service. First, I am grateful for having the opportunity to work with Harper and it is always such a blessing when UUCL members share from the pulpit. Second, I am so grateful for the way all of you participated in The Wheel of Gratitude “game show.” I mean, you could have called it ridiculous, heretical, and not appropriate for church. But you didn’t. You showed enthusiasm. That generated an abundance of joy. That joy is sacred! And we all walked away feeling refreshed and energized. You’re all just totally awesome and I can’t wait for next Sunday.