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Close your eyes for a few moments and breathe: fully, slowly, willingly. As you enjoy those life-giving breaths, allow the physical focus of your attention to move from head to heart. Moving from head to heart, it becomes easier to release thoughts of past and future which may stand between us and the knowing of Joy. If this release feels frightening, know that all of those thoughts will still be there for you to return to, should you choose to do so. We're simply refocusing attention for a few minutes to our heart-space.
Claim willingness: "I am open and receptive to the wisdom contained within my heart. I am willing and receptive to experiencing Joy in this moment. I am open and receptive to Truth."
Allow yourself to contemplate Joy. What does Joy feel like within your body? If you have any pain or discomfort in you body, use your imagination to consider what the joy of a healthy, fully-functioning body might feel like. If Joy were a precious gemstone, what would it look and feel like? Would it sparkle like a diamond? Would it contain a rainbow of opalescent Light? Would there be veins of pure gold throughout? Is it heavy or light? Cold or warm?
Do you remember a time that you felt Joy? Perhaps the day your first child was born, or when your puppy woke you up in bed by licking your face. As you contemplate Joy, remember what it "felt" like in your Being. The perfection of that moment is within you, and you can be recalled at any moment.
If you do not have any "real" memories of joy, use your imagination! We are creative Beings, and we have the power to create our experience in any moment. Allow yourself to create the feeling of absolute joy-filled Oneness. And allow that feeling to move from your heart throughout your entire body. Rest in feeling the peace and perfection of this Joy-filled moment.
Think of someone you love, someone for whom you truly wish Good. Imagine yourself to be a radiating beacon of Joy, and send this positive feeling-energy to their heart-center. Imagine the smile on their face as they receive this gift of positive feeling-energy.
Then think of someone in your life that you don't really pay much attention to: perhaps your letter-carrier or the teller at the drive-thru window at your bank. Imagine yourself sending this positive feeling-energy to that person. Imagine them in the midst of their work duties pausing for just a moment to smile as they receive this anonymous gift of Joy. Allow yourself to feel the joy of giving these gifts of the awareness of Joy to others.
And now, allow someone with whom you have had a difficult or challenging relationship to come to mind. Send this positive feeling-energy to them as well. Allow this link of positive energy to connect the two of you in a way that is Truer than the conflict that has previously bound you. Allow this link of Consciousness to illumine Truth in each of you, and know that, whatever has happened in the past or may happen in the future, you are each, in this moment of shared perfection, connected within the Joy that lives in each of you.
Lastly, draw your attention back to your own heart-space. Feel this Joy that is always present. Invest the time to know it! Allow yourself to feel it washing through every cell of your Being and moving on through you and out into the world. Know that there is an endlessly-flowing, ever-available Source within you. Allow yourself to know that you have important work to do, and that being a radiating beacon of Faith, Peace, Love, and Joy is truly the most important work that you can do. Bring that awareness to all of the outer things that you do, and know that you truly are Being-God-In-Expression. You are the Christ that is born today- and each moment of each day - bringing Joy to the World.
It is so. Amen.
 Thank you. I look forward to seeing you Saturday at our Christmas Eve candlelight service, or perhaps on Sunday as we enjoy Christmas morning together. We will also savor a potluck meal together after church on Sunday, so if you do not have other plans, I hope to see you then! In Faith, Peace, Love, Joy and Light-
Nita 
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