concepts or reality?

i want to talk about two words that keep coming up in me. shall we go with the more difficult one first?

mercy.
dictionary.com(who doesn't use this repeatedly throughout the day?) defines mercy (in part) as:

n 1: leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice; "he threw himself on the mercy of the court" [syn: clemency, mercifulness] 2: a disposition to be kind and forgiving; "in those days a wife had to depend on the mercifulness of her husband" [syn: mercifulness] [ant: mercilessness] 3: the feeling that motivates compassion [syn: mercifulness] 4: something for which to be thankful; "it was a mercy we got out alive" 5: alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed; "distributing food and clothing to the flood victims was an act of mercy"

okay, i've highlighted a couple of things because they stuck out at me. we went to mass last night (which is an act of mercy for God to give me evening mass, the only one offered at St. Joe's during the week, on the one day i cannot attend morning mass since i am opening the restaurant...see how good and MERCIFUL God is to me??) the presider was speaking of forgiveness and the Lord's Prayer and substituted the word *mercy* to prove a point. it really spoke to my heart and i am wondering what mercy means to you? is it forgiveness? is it compassion? is it forgetting one's offense against you - does that mean mercy to you?

further surprising me with their *spiritual spin* on things, the aforementioned site further states:

compassion for the miserable. Its object is misery. By the atoning sacrifice of Christ a way is open for the exercise of mercy towards the sons of men, in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness (Gen. 19:19; Ex. 20:6; 34:6, 7; Ps. 85:10; 86:15, 16). In Christ mercy and truth meet together. Mercy is also a Christian grace (Matt. 5:7; 18:33-35).

pretty cool, seeing the word grace in there. but that's another topic for another time...

the second word i want to discuss is joy. i know, simple word, but what is joy to you?

when i see the word joy, i think of the acronym: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself third. any time i see something decorative that appeals to me (i am picky, yeah, i admit it), if it says JOY, i usually get it (easy to find at Christmas time, fyi). what brings joy to you? what is joy?

again, dictionary.com describes it as "intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness. the expression or manifestation of such feeling."

does the bible not say in John 15:11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete." these are the words of our Lord, not penni.

so what is this joy? why is it so elusive? the pastor who did bruce's memorial service was in yesterday with his associate pastor (both men, i adore) and from the kitchen where you can't hear anything because of the exhaust fan and radio, i could overhear them laughing - belly laughing, in hysterics over stories they were sharing back and forth. now they are usually not so exuberant, but i can honestly say more often than not, i look at them and i see the Joy of Christ.

i am a serious-minded (and obviously, long-winded) person, but have a very dry sense of humor and am considered to be funny, but do i feel the joy that Christ speaks about?

do you?

are these concepts, mercy and joy, in your life or are they a reality?