Finding Happiness: Faith

Yesterday I wrote about happiness in Material things.  Solomon reasoned in Ecclesiastes that we could find true happiness only with God in our hearts.

Can we have truly know God with out faith? No. Sure, you can go through the motions; go to church, be moved by a sermon and maybe even shed a couple tears saying” I really felt God’s presence.”

But faith is much more than a feeling. 

Faith is compassionate and empathic. There are many verses in the bible that tell of Jesus being sadden by someone’s circumstances or that he showed compassion for “the people”.

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food and   one of you says to them “Go in peace, be warmed and filled.”  without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? James 2:15-16 ESV

That’s not Faith. Faith is seeing a need and doing something about it; whether it is in your community or in your church.  Faith is knowing that God will give you the abilities or bring someone to you to help with a need you want to fill. So don’t just say  “Well I’ll pray about that.”  It is impossible to be compassionate and think of all your own troubles. Doing something for someone else is the best therapy you can get.

That being said, faith should make us happy.

You have filled my heart with more happiness than they have when there is much grain and wine. Psalms 4:7 MSG

Our family is waiting on a new little bundle of pink any day; in fact she is past due! I have faith she is coming and God will bring her happy & healthy.

Another way of showing my faith, and this one will make this JjaJja very happy!

Finding Happiness: "Stuff"

I was looking for a new devotion to start today.  There are so many really good devotions out there, but I didn't see one that sparked an interest for me.  There are devotions on hope, courage, strength, family, relationship, grace and more.  That got me to thinking… what about a great one on happiness.  Well there was a devotion on the happy church and a three-day on finding real happiness, and a goggle search provided a few more, but not much. 

The Bible brings us good news- good news makes me happy.  What about you?  I mean if someone said “I have good news for you!”  Woohoo I’m thinking I just won the grand prize!  So where are the happy verses in the Bible.  That is my quest for the next few days.

Ecclesiastes could be considered depressing book, but Solomon is really teaching the true happiness can only be found in God. 

12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

Solomon knows that life as we know it and material things won’t last forever, that “stuff” isn’t true happiness.  But we don’t know God’s plans, so the best thing to do is be happy and enjoy life while we can. No, the boats, golf clubs, newest video games, jewlery and all the other "stuff" you may think is going to make you happy, will not. But they are gifts from God, so enjoy!

Listening for God in a Storm

Have you been in a situation where the storm seems so strong that you thought you would drown? You know you should trust that the Lord has the situation under control, but is hard not to focus on the problem at hand.

A year ago we moved back to Florida from Missouri under less than ideal circumstances.  While I was ecstatic that we were moving home and closer to our children and grandchildren, I was angry and hurt by situation I was “forced” into.

When we look back it is so much easier to see God’s Plan unfold.  We now feel we over stayed in Missouri and that God was speaking to us -showing us it was time to go but we couldn’t hear Him because the storm was so loud. My husband lost his job after six months, in fact he had four jobs in fourteen months.  I was sick most of the time while we were there and discovered after eight months in,  that the house we rented had been used as a Meth house. But we pressed on – praying God would “fix” our circumstances instead of listening and watching for Him.  Looking back we see God was answering our prayers, but we were trying to “fix “the situation ourselves.  Then came the big one-the move at a big financial loss.  But that got our attention!

Yes, I was angry and hurt by the situation I felt forced into but the truth is it was my own lack of faith.  Those that were positioned within our circumstances were part of the big plan God was using to bring changes to our lives.

Are you in the midst  of a storm?  God’s word tells us to-

“Be still, and know that I am God” Psalms 46:10 

Take time to pray and then listen for God’s voice and watch for things He is doing, then trust Him.

"Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to GOD!" (emphasis mine) 

Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG

Decisions?

Often we find it hard to make a decision, even paralyzed by the fear of getting it wrong. The weight of the decision may feel like more than we can bear.  Some people write pros and cons out on paper, others just try to sort it all in their heads. But let’s face it making some decisions can be so stressful and frustrating!

It is always good to seek advise from an expert for big decisions, that’s biblical-to seek wise council, and it goes with out saying that you take everything to God; prayer should be a big part of any decision.

I know what you’re thinking, “I’ve tried those things, and it doesn’t help!”

There is no magic formula that you can work out on paper to be sure it's the right decision. Let’s be real, it is unlikely that God will send an angel to tell you what to do, but God still can through your prayer.

I don’t always get it right, but for me it is peacefulness. Sometimes the decision I make looks like the wrong one in the beginning, that is because I cannot see the whole picture, but God does; and when I finally do too it’s like an “Ah ha moment”.  Other times I may not know until I get to heaven why things went the way they did, but I followed where I felt God leading.

The most important thing to remember is that God is for you, and if He is for you who can be against you? He is guiding you every step of the way in making the decision. 

Psalms 23:3 “He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.”

Decisions are tough- making them without God is tougher.

Unconditional Love?

When I was in my 30s my sister's Sunday school class was studying the family and how it affects your adult life.  She sent me a questionnaire asking my thoughts on our childhood. I was to complete it and return it to her, and then she would do the same and return it to me. The questions asked about our upbringing and how that influenced our adult life or siblings life. There was a section about yourself; the sibling was to respond to the other siblings’ answers. One of the questions asked was “As a teenager what did you think you would be doing at age 30?” My answer was- “I didn’t think I would live to see 30.”  When my sister returned the form back to me I was surprised by her answer, it simply said, “Neither did we.”

I had no idea the family felt that way. Really? I should have! I knew they were disappointed in me and they hated where I was mentally (and physically) back then. 

I had turned from God when I was eighteen, not that my parents provided an example of what a christian life should look like. There was so much drama in my life from my parent’s divorces I was left me feeling unlovable. Coupled with my distorted view of having to behave a certain way to earn God's love, I thought I can never be “that good” so why try. I didn’t understand unconditional love. My old school church teachings were on hellfire and damnation; the pastor never taught on a relationship with God, His unconditional love and grace. 

BUT GOD…. Kept me safe. He loves us all unconditionally!

“The mountains may disappear, and the hills may come to an end, but my love will never disappear; my promise of peace will not come to an end,” says the Lord who shows mercy to you. Isaiah 54:10 NCV

Never stop telling your children that you love them, teach and show them unconditional love. Be the example of what God has to offer us all. It will be much easier for children to grasp God’s love and build the relationship with Him with you as a positive reference.

Do You Think I'm Beautiful?

A few years ago my son and his wife lived in California, Leah and their 7 month old daughter came to Florida for a conference, leaving TJ & Mckenna behind. So he and 3-year-old McKenna went camping in Yosemite.  It was a great father/daughter bonding time, with TJ carrying McKenna in a backpack most of the way. People in the park would stop & ask if he would like their photo taken together or they would just talk to McKenna.  That prompted this conversation:

McKenna: Daddy why do people talk to me?

TJ: Because you are beautiful 
McKenna: Oh Daddy, I'm not beautiful - 
                woodpeckers are beautiful.

What do you consider beautiful? 

Is it the majestic mountains in the west or 

the turquoise waters surrounding the Florida Keyes? 

You can see God’s hand creates beauty all around us.

I remember having a blue dress with a striped full skirt attached when I was about 8 years old.  As I would twirl in a circle the full skirt would fill with air, I felt like a dancer that I had seen on television.  I remember asking my Mom- “Do I Look pretty?”  She probably said yes, but stop doing that in the house before you break something, I was a little clumsy back then too.

Most of us suffer with self-image issues at some point, more women than men, probably due to media bombarding us with images of “perfection”. Maybe it is not an image issue with you; perhaps it is self-worth.   I am guilty of it; I have been most of my life; but we need to remember that God has created us in His idea of “perfection” not ours.  The Bible tells us our lives are just a vapor… a mist in some versions….  Just a little psst…. Why do we waste our precious little time on these thoughts?   Self pity is not from God but is from the enemy, do not forget Satan tries to break us in anyway he can. 

Like McKenna we should look outside of ourselves, beauty in all of us, is created from the inside out… If we will put our sights on helping others we can break the bonds of self-pity. It is impossible to think only of yourself while serving others.   Oh how nice it would be to sometimes see the world with child like innocence and honesty. 

I do not want to waste any more of my little (Psst) vapor on anything else.  I have promised myself  to do my best to always see the beauty in circumstances…. and creatures, even the sort of odd looking woodpeckers that keep making holes in the trees all over my yard. I am not sure I can do that with spiders & snakes… but I will try….

Here I go....

Well, here goes my first Blog post.  I have been thinking about this for years, but never felt I really had anything to write, besides if I did put it out there, who would want to read it?  Through the encouragement of friends that have read my Facebook posts I gathered the courage and here is the blog.

I have called the blog "My Life in Field Trips" because that is what my life seems like to me. A series of field trips filled with highs, lows, and life lessons. Eventually growing closer to God, I realized that life's instructions where with me all along.

I hope you will find the stories I write inspiring, that you grow closer to God and maybe even learn from some of my mistakes.  

I look forward to sharing with you my Field Trips.