If I could leave this world with one piece of advise to young married couples...even the non-married, living-together (cra-cra) people, it would be what I'm about to say now, with full knowledge that I will possibly get a lot of negative feed-back from those that take the time to read. And possibly, a few kudos...
It's been said that we make our own happiness. I may buy into that only a little. If we aren't happy with ourselves, our own lives, it's doubtful we'll have the ability (within ourselves) to be truly happy. Having said that, one cannot live in happy bliss 24/7. Without allowing ourselves to experience life, all of life, we never grow. Never acquire understanding. Never experiencing fulfillment.
God knew. God created. God graced us with the ability to touch His heart, as HE touches ours. To obey His way of life. In that...we find true, fulfilling happiness. In that, life's shortfalls, life's disappointments, life's unexpected events, become a place we can still have true happiness. If it weren't for that, I would be sad most of the time. Others fail me. I fail others. Others have crazy quirks that I can't be around for long periods of time. I have crazy quirks that others can't be around for long periods of time. So?
Please stop saying, "I just want to be happy," if you insist on making it about other's short-comings. Of course we want to be happy. God created happy for us! Those endorphins that people yearn for, and often seek through medication, can be ours at any given time. Without false positives.
Yes, it is true. Many times I do not have a smile on my face. I am a very serious thinker, that often appears to be mad. I am not. Please don't ask me what is wrong. And don't tell me to calm down. I'm thinking...just thinking. Sometimes I think out loud. It doesn't mean I'm mad. Geez...I would have to think long and hard to remember the last time I was seriously mad. Aggravated, maybe, but a long way from mad.
There is so much at stake here. It doesn't mean I am not contented. And many times it does not mean I am unhappy. Sometimes I am unhappy. Sometimes, I allow myself to worry, then I'm reminded that my God is so much bigger than my concerns. He's got this. I don't have to worry. I pray. I pray a lot, knowing that my God loves those I pray for. Knowing He loves me. Knowing He honors mother's and grandmother's whose heart (and anyone's heart, actually) belongs to Him.
II Chronicles 16:9 says, "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." In the good times, in the bad times, in the indifferent times...God will strengthen our hearts and make us glad. Happy. It doesn't come (and stick around) from husbands, wives, daughters, sons, in-laws, friends.
So, stop it. Please stop it. If I hear it one more time..."I just have to make sure I'm happy," I think I'll croak (some would possible rejoice at that moment).
Instead, how about saying, "What can I do today to please the heart of God?" When we follow His ways, we tend to become happy people. Giving people. The world stops revolving around us. But to get there, we must travel a few self-centered roads it seems. At the end of those roads we just might bump right into truth. God's truth, that takes us a while to learn. Because we are lazy. Because we are self-centered humanity. Because our eyes are on what others can do for us, instead of what we can do for others. Because we give up way too easily. Because we aren't willing to fight for truth.
"Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." ~Matthew 7:13-14. God tells us that self-centeredness is common, but leads to a destructive life style, and that godliness (right living) is found from a very uncommon place. One must cut down the thicket, so-to-speak, to find the path that will give a full and complete life. Sadly, we often take the easy way out, right? No thicket clearing for me. I'm too busy making sure I'm happy with false positives. With temporary happiness. Right?
Life can be hard as we try to find the over-grown path. The forgotten way. Heads up...work is not a dirty word. Work is rewarding...in many a way.
And this, folks...is what came flooding into my heart this morning as I prepared breakfast, here...in Mary's World.
