If you missed Kathleen Krucoff’s response to yesterday’s blog, I take the opportunity to share this portion with you:

Yes, you are so right, finding Joy can be difficult some days/weeks. I try to choose Joy every day. This week we said goodbye to our oldest basset hound, Newton. He was 14 1/2 years old. Had a great life. Brought so much love, companionship and joy into our lives. It was time. It was the right decision. I am joyfully remembering him. (Kathleen Krucoff, December 13, 2020, emphasis mine)

Choosing joy…or recognizing that Rejoice is a Choice, was going to be today’s topic after reading a very long article on ESPN about Archie Manning, quarterback of the New Orleans Saints back in the 70s, and father of NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning.

Here’s a snippet of Archie’s reported remarks at a recent event presenting him (another) lifetime achievement award:

Onstage Archie talked about sitting with [his father] Buddy Manning on Saturday afternoons and listening to college football on the radio. The memories he shared of that time were light and full of joy. That’s a choice he made a long time ago… The Inheritance of Archie Manning, Wright Thompson, ESPN Senior Writer

Earlier in the article, we learn that Archie’s father, whose “light and joyful” memories Archie shared, committed suicide with a shotgun, timed so that Archie, age 19, would discover him and clean up the mess before his mother and sister got home. Some of us would be in therapy for life over something like that. Archie chose instead to live a life of joy.

These are tough times (by American standards) to be sure, but scriptures are clear:

Rejoice is a choice.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4.4, ESV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5.16 – 18, ESV)