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CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF JOY !!!

Today is a very sad day for many of us who knew the wonderful Joy Lea, but also a time to remember the many reasons why we loved her so dearly!! If you did not know Joy, I’m telling you, you missed out. She was one of the funniest people I have ever met. I would walk away with almost a 6 pack of abs after leaving her presence. She was down to earth, genuine, compassionate, generous, and simply the best.

When I think of the word joy & Joy herself, I think of something my Pastor always says. Many times, he says, “You may be in a storm, but the storm does NOT have to be IN YOU!” For those of you who knew Joy, isn’t this exactly what we witnessed with her? The entire time I had known Joy, she was battling cancer, she was in a storm, if you will. Never did she allow the storm to reside in her – it was not going to steal her joy. Isn’t that what finding joy is about? The Lord doesn’t promise us a life full of happiness. We believe we deserve to be happy, but more importantly, we are called to seek Joy, to CHOOSE Joy in ALL circumstance & ALL STORMS… it is in those moments we truly live. I’m so thankful for the example Joy provided all of us… that despite our situation, you can live in joy, but more importantly, you have a choice to choose it. The beauty of it all is that when you choose joy, you actually share it, naturally. All of us experienced a glimpse of joy because our beloved Joy so graciously shared it. It was contagious. Even the hardest people to ‘crack’, Joy helped them experience laughter. I witnessed it myself. What a treasure she was!!

Now, some may wonder how I even know her. I met Joy while working at the Richwood Bank. Instantly, I remember thinking, “I HAVE to be friends with this chick!!” The first time we really hit it off was at Talia’s wedding (pictures below). We sat at the reception, sharing in laughter for hours. She was just one of those people I knew I had to have a daily dose of. There were even times at work, I had to find a reason to go to the building next door so I could sneak up to her office and get a quick laugh in for the day. Now that I do not work there, I can admit that 😉 ha!!! From then on, we became even better friends. I remember her inviting me over for dinner one evening. She was so thoughtful because she creeped on my pinterest page to figure out what dessert to make based off what I had pinned on my page. It was delicious. Another time we went to a Mexican restaurant in Delaware, where she shared her heart. As I sat across from her, I watched the girl who made everyone laugh, break down in tears as she spoke. I think in that moment, we instantly grew closer. Although she was a natural comedian, she still had soft side to her. Not only did we share meals, our hearts, a few tears, and endless laughter, but she shared her talents with my business. She was a master at crocheting and knitting!!! I could bring an idea to her on Monday & she would have the newborn outfit done by Friday – no joke! I have shared a few photos below of some outfits she has done. There are many others, but these were the first ones I found. She always made these outfits during her chemo. I truly believe it was just as much a blessing to her as it was to my clients & I, and it passed her time during chemo. Win-Win!

Thankfully, I had the privilege to photograph her wedding last July & engagement pictures just a few months before. We laughed throughout the entire session & even during the wedding. This girl, literally danced her way down the aisle. Why not? Great idea!!! Also, do you know anyone else who takes a necklace and says, “I’m going to wear that in my hair instead!” I thought, “What is she talking about?” You will notice in her wedding pictures what I am talking about – She was always SO creative.

My heart is heavy as I will miss those daily doses of Joy, but I’m so thankful she no longer has to be in physical pain. My heart rejoices as I think back to our memories shared & the pure joy she brought into my life. May we all learn to CHOOSE JOY, just as our dear friend taught us. Hold tight those moments you shared with her, but allow the joy to pass through and onto others. I leave you with this challenge: to be come aware of your situation and find a way to Choose Joy. to Be contagious. To Be JOYful.

THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP
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