Make a Joyful Noise

The title of this one is taken from the King James rendering of Psalm 95. The concept of "joy" is often confused for outward gaiety, regardless of its motivation. I've always been more impressed with C.S. Lewis's definition of joy, as something impelled by the unexplainable, not necessarily something that results in us laughing and smiling like clowns in every case.

Funny how easily children understand that. My kids posed for this image during the season for Christmas program rehearsals in school, during which they had been repeatedly ordered to smile ("psychotically" as my daughter described it) while singing songs they personally disliked. With that situation fresh in mind, my daughter played to her true gifts on the guitar while my son let out scream after expressive scream on the wet streets of downtown Phoenix just after a brief December rain. They remain proud of the result...

01/22/08