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When Love flows like a Mountain Stream

We regret we do not have anything in our lives for which we feel led to praise God. We listen to all the "words" about being thankful and about praising, but life is just such a big hassle, who feels like praising? Everything is so complex, so complicated, how do we come to a state of balance which allows us to feel a heart filled with simple joys? We know there are others who have things a lot worse than we do. It's still difficult to sympathize with their pain when we're consumed with our own.

Next time this frame of mind creeps in, please spend some time with "Joe Cool". Joe is a stay-at-home dad with a daughter and two autistic sons and enough house pets to declare his place a zoo. He's in an isolated area of the Appalachians. Joe is approaching middle-age and were he of the same mindset as the rest of the world, he'd be discouraged over his life passing him by while he's cleaning up one more mess and doing one more batch of soiled clothing.

Joe, however, does not relate to the rest of the world. Joe has a companion with whom he spends his days and this companion keeps him in a state of joy sufficient to enable Joe to write a weekly column about the simple pleasures of his life. Joe's been writing for years and the words of love never dry up; they just keep flowing like a mountain stream:

My Companion and I

Jane Mullikin
Spirit - Finding Hope in a World of Uncertainty