Where is the joy?

Hi, everyone,

I am challenged deeply these days with issues of sexuality in my marriage. It has brought me to question on occasion, "Where is the joy?" This morning I got an email that I want to share with you that has an answer I am familiar with and a powerful story to evidence its truth.

IS PACKAGING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Author Unknown

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For
many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a
dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford
it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs
that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the
morning of his graduation, his father called him into his
private study. His father told him how proud he was to have
such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He
handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but
somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and
found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's
name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to
his father and said, "With all your money you give me
a Bible?" He then stormed out of the house, leaving the
Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful
in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family,
but realizing his father was very old, he thought perhaps
he should go to see him. He had not seen him since that
graduation day. Before he could make the arrangements, he
received a telegram telling him his father had passed away,
and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to
come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and
regret filled his heart. He began to search through his
father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just
as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the
Bible and began to turn the pages. As he was reading, a car
key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with
the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car
he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,
and the words....."PAID IN FULL".

How many times do we miss blessings because they are not
packaged as we expected?

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Today, your life can start to become truly
extraordinary!

Another answer to "Where is the joy?" that I received this week is the joy is in the surrender to the journey in the fire of the Divine Beloved. I have to surrender the control that makes me feel safe. Allow myself to be engulfed in the flames of the Divine Beloved's embrace. The Beloved's embrace is an inferno of passion that gifts us beyond our wildest dreams. I invite you all to join me there.

Blessings,
Sharon