Its Ragtime tech week.
For those of you who have no idea what that its: In the world of theatre it is the most stressful, sleep depriving, scrambling, frustrating, hot and sweaty... week before opening night.
When I find myself in a place where people are beginning to whine and complain about the current circumstances, something in my wants to rise up and fight the pessimism. But not with guns and hand-to-hand mortal combat, no, but with sparklers and bubbles. Yes. I want to fight with optimism.
In times like these when all of life seems like one frustrating, hopeless, mess I have a secret joy that lives within. I know that we have been faithful to pursue God throughout the whole process, and that if we continue to "look up" (as my director likes to say) we will find peace. And when I ask God to keep me optimistic, to give me hope, he delivers.
"But choosing joy over bitterness doesn't mean slapping a silly grin on your face." Notes writer Kara Scwab in an online article--Choosing Joy-- "And it's not about being bubbly, perky or giggly. Let's face it, sometimes happy people can be a bit annoying. Joy goes much deeper than any facial expression. And it's more intense and real than fleeting happiness. In his play Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare understands this solemn quality of joy, writing, "Silence is the perfectest herald of joy." How perfectly said."
Later in the article, she notes: "When I really looked at the Bible to see what it said about joy, the more I came to believe that joy is a decision of the will. Happiness may be something you feel. But joy is something you do. Throughout the Bible I saw action phrases like "shout for joy," "sing for joy" and "cry for joy."
This week is going to be full of opportunities to sink into pessimism. Zippers may snap and blocking may change, but the word of the Lord stands forever. And I'm going to fight for joy. My scriptural reminder? 1 Peter 1:3-8:
"3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
(To read the full article mentioned above, check out boundless.org.)
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