A Blessing of Delight

February 17, 2012 | 27 comments

Drink deeply from the cup of delight, friends, for it is a gift from the Father. Earth is a fertile playground for mortals.

So …

Let the kite string out farther.

Dance the last song.

Wait for the encore.

Pick the first daisy.

And dance in the rain.

Dance even, in the mud puddles.

Make a mess.

Buy the box with 64 crayons.

Then, color the sky in cotton-candy or electric-lime.

Pay good attention.

For delight is under your nose,

or in your arms,

or thump-thump-thumping inside your chest.

And yes, this post-Eden world groans with agony.
I know the pain of loss, and how
Rancor tries to dim the bright presence of God.

But His fountain still flows.
His Light still shines.

He is here. Alleluia. He is here. Amen!
And I want to know his delight by heart.
I want to memorize joy
So I remember what it tastes like on the darkest days.

Sometimes, the old saying goes, life hands a person lemons.
Or maybe an orange or a grapefruit.

I say:

Let’s squeeze every last drop of delight out of it.
And add a little sugar.
And may we’ll see our worlds transformed by
the squeezed-out,
teased-out
delights of our Maker.

*****

Writing in community with The Gypsy-Mama today, who gives us a one-word Prompt and Five Minutes to write about it. Her word this week: DELIGHT.

by dukeslee | February 17, 2012 | 27 comments

27 Comments

Jamie on February 17, 2012 at 9:09 am

Glad to have had the pleasure of visiting your blog and reading this post today. Thank you for such beautiful images on delight!
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- dukeslee on February 17, 2012 at 9:29 am
  
  Jamie ~
  
  God bless you and thank you for stopping by today. Have a delight-filled weekend.
  Reply
Shelly Miller on February 17, 2012 at 9:18 am

I want to memorize joy too. You are just so amazing, this spirit of you that pours out in words and shines like a bright light in a dark room. He delights in you Jennifer, He does.
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- dukeslee on February 17, 2012 at 9:28 am
  
  Shelly ~
  
  Have a fantastic weekend. Thanks for bringing a smile to my Friday with your sweet words. Shine on, sister! You LIVE out delight. I see it, all the way over on my side of the planet. 🙂
  Reply
Katie on February 17, 2012 at 9:57 am

This is beautiful! Your words paint pictures in my heart! 🙂
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tara // pohlkotte press on February 17, 2012 at 10:18 am

yes. let us squeeze, and squeeze and capture all that has broke free. These moments are ours. These tiny glimpses of heaven.
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Alyssa Santos on February 17, 2012 at 10:55 am

Beautiful! And we who know the source of joy should be out there dancing and living in the freedom of joy and the hope of a world renewed!! Bless you today my friend, I begin the day inspired to live larger.
Alyssa
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Simply Darlene on February 17, 2012 at 10:57 am

Well, miss JDL, I know you musta wrote some good words up there, because you always do. I read ’em but I couldn’t repeat them because I cannot get that image outta my mind.

Did you take the photograph? I love it.

What’s in the cup? Chocolate, I hope.

Blessings.
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- Jennifer@GDWJ on February 17, 2012 at 11:09 am
  
  I did take the picture, yes. On my wedding china even. 🙂
  
  Thank you for your words.
  
  But why didn’t it occur to me to drink chocolate instead of coffee? Drat!
  
  🙂
  Reply
Linda on February 17, 2012 at 11:14 am

I just felt my heart dancing as I read this Jennifer!
Reply
Pattylh on February 17, 2012 at 11:25 am

I love this:
“And I want to know his delight by heart.
I want to memorize joy
So I remember what it tastes like on the darkest days.”
Memorizing that joy becomes hope on those dark days. You know I always love what you write, but your 5 minute Fridays are my favorites. Be blessed as you drink deep from the well today, my dear friend!
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S. Etole on February 17, 2012 at 11:28 am

And you are a delightful blessing!
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Cindy on February 17, 2012 at 11:31 am

Yes! Yes! Yes!
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Tiffany on February 17, 2012 at 11:52 am

Wow…is all I can really say. How very encouraging this post was for me…I want to memorize joy!!! May I reprint your post on a transparency to post in my scrapbook room (of course you will be credited)?? This post really spoke to my heart with some of things I have been struggling with lately. May the Lord continue to bless you as you have continuously blessed so many of us.
Abiding in Him,
Tiff
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- dukeslee on February 17, 2012 at 8:05 pm
  
  Absolutely, Tiffany. You definitely may use it. God bless!
  Reply
Nancy on February 17, 2012 at 1:04 pm

I am with you all the way….squeeze all the joy we can….
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Jennifer@Adam's Rib on February 17, 2012 at 2:37 pm

Transforming this world one extra squeeze at a time. I’m there!
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Patricia (Pollywog Creek) on February 17, 2012 at 3:08 pm

Perfectly delightful, Jennifer…and what a delicious photo!!! XO
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Sheila Lagrand on February 17, 2012 at 5:09 pm

Oh, what you can do with five minutes.

Just five.

I’m amazed. Again. Love you!
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- Sandra Heska King on February 17, 2012 at 9:37 pm
  
  Yes! What she said.
  Reply
Carey on February 17, 2012 at 5:30 pm

Ah…delights of our Maker…
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kendal on February 17, 2012 at 6:18 pm

oh, jen. this is a great piece of poetry. it made me GLAD:)
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Kathy Schwanke on February 17, 2012 at 7:13 pm

Thank you for the beautiful reminder to “squeeze out every drop”. <3 I needed that!
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Sandra Heska King on February 17, 2012 at 9:36 pm

Squeezed-out, teased-out delights. Oh, friend. Alleluia!
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emily wierenga on February 17, 2012 at 9:38 pm

oh i love this. love it. love it.
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Sherrey Meyer on February 18, 2012 at 12:38 am

Love how you describe delight, His and ours!
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Deborahjoy on February 19, 2012 at 8:08 am

I want to imprint this onto my memory so that I can carry your words with me. Love this. Thank you X
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