Mary Penich

This is the day the Lord has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
Psalm 118:24

R is for Rejoice. I admit that the word “rejoice” didn’t dominate my vocabulary over the past few months. There were days when I might have considered using “resignation” as my R word. As we know, life on this earth is imperfect at best. Sometimes, it seems that the only way to respond is to accept that some things are what they are and to move on. Unfortunately, when I choose to move on, I do so reluctantly. I’m convinced that I can do something to change the situation at hand for the better.

This is the reason I took it upon myself to drive an hour each way to see my sister throughout her illness. Though I couldn’t change her prognosis, I hoped I could change her journey to its end. I think the quality time we shared did that. In the end, she helped me as well. My sister dug in and did the best she could! What good example she gave me!

The Psalmist who offered the verse I cite above asks us to be glad and to rejoice. This is a choice we can make anytime and anywhere. This worked out well for my sister and me. It can also work out for all of us again and again and again!

Dear God, thank you for giving us the capacity to rejoice and to be glad wherever we are.

Author & Speaker