January 22, 2026
A promise is promise. I think it is anyway. In my writing yesterday, I’d hinted at bringing some sunshine and warmth to my post today (the way I had originally intended). With plummeting temps outside and the winds picking up, and the national mood below zero, we all need moments of laughter and joy. That’s how my morning began 30 hours ago. Let’s time-warp back to Wednesday.
Now, I’m not gonna go through my entire morning routine, because, ya know, T.M.I. Ain’t nobody need to imagine any of that. LOL. Suffice it to say, after whoop’n my iPhone in a battle of digital cribbage, I clicked on Facebook to see all the latest gossip and news.
At the top of my feed was a reel from my former ministry partner in crime, Cindy Boehler. Cindy is the church secretary extraordinaire who’s the glue that holds Peace Lutheran Alma together.) Anywho, I saw Cindy’s title and knew immediately what to expect: a good laugh. I don’t wanna leave you in suspense, peek at this reel:
Alma’s pep band is one of the best in the land, especially for a school district their size, all made possible by their director, Mr. Rittter. (The video, in all honesty, doesn’t do them justice). And while the band is always great, it was the boy with the cowbell who stole the show. In the timeless words of Bruce Dickenson, “I have a fevah, and the only prescription is more cowbell!” Eat your heart-out Will Ferell; there’s a new boy in town.
I saw that reel and laughed so hard. Rewind. Replay. Repeat. Whoever that teenage boy is, hats-off to him. He was having fun and brought everybody along. His was a moment of pure joy, and through his cowbell playing, I’m sure elevated everyone in attendance that night.
Joy is not a fleeting emotion; it transcends momentary happiness, for joy is a frame of mind. Whether that boy knew it or not, he was bringing joy to the world, at least anyway all the boys and girls in his world.
Six years before Blue Öyster Cult recorded “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” – the give me more cowbell song— Three Dog Night recorded “Joy to the World.” When I was that teenage boy’s age, we were jamming out to “Joy to the World” during our pep band days. Off all the songs we’d play during the basket games, that was our favorite. I don’t know if it was because the tune was so catchy, or maybe because of the title. Regardless, playing that song brought a little more joy to our world, just as that boy in Alma did earlier this week.
Minutes before Jesus was accosted and delivered to the priestly cabal for trial, he prayed to His Father in heaven for his disciples. Here’s part of that prayer:
“Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth”."
Jesus wanted them to be filled to the brim with his joy; and the same is true for me and you. Jesus wants us to overflow with his joy, because he knew this world was difficult enough, and isn’t always friendly to the gospel of peace, grace, mercy and love.
I talked a bit about that yesterday. We don’t need to rehash that. But ya know, I don’t think it hurts to tell you that I had a pit in my stomach last night. I think it is partly because of Sam. But truly, I can’t dwell on that. Christ wants me — all of us really— to consider any suffering pure joy. And why? It was for joy that Jesus endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2), so that we can experience his eternal bliss.
If anything, I hope that boy’s cowbell playing gave you a moment of both happiness and joy. I also hope that through Christ, you’re experiencing the joys of having Jesus in your life, despite the plummeting love in our world and the joylessness that’s infecting our national conversation. With Christ in us and through us, we can be a part of the solution to help the world know the joy of our Lord. Joy to you and me. Joy to the world—that’s a prayer worth repeating.
Father God, may Christ’s joy be complete in us; and through us, bring a bit more joy to this world, the way that boy in Alma did during the basketball game the other night.