WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO MAKE ME HAPPY?

Once upon a time in my life----a variation of that was addressed to me--the words I believe were--

"And will THAT make you happy?"

It was not said with humor--but with disgust--

Why would that memory appear after all this time?  We are studying Jacob in the current sermon series and small group sessions at our church. The coming week we are talking about Jacob's time with his father in law, Laban.  It is a saga of "But I want this and if I cannot have it then I will try this."  NO ONE is satisfied! Of COURSE--it sent me into a spiral of thoughts--

What would it take to make any of us happy---

Wealth                    

Fame                             

Beauty

Great Adventures                    

             

Super Intelligence        

Possessions            

        

And the list goes on and on---one thing each of these haVE in common--they are ALL of this world---here today and gone tomorrow.  AND no matter how much you have of any of them---someone ALWAYS has more.  In the end---which we are ALL coming to---you cannot take any of those here

In retrospect the question becomes:

What HAS made me happy thus far?

NOT any of the list above for sure--why in fact---a little made me only want more.

RELATIONSHIPS & SERVICE---the only thing that has ever made me happy---and it ALL came through HIM----i.e.---HE MADE ME HAPPY!  

Poor Jacob--the tables were turned on him and he went from being the deceiver to being deceived--all in a quest of what he had already been promised.  I fear I am a great deal like Jacob--a SLOW learner---but we both get it---eventually!

"Meaningless! Meaningless!

says the Teacher.

Utterly meaningless!

Everything is meaningless."

Ecclesiastes 1:2

HOW IS LENT LOOKING FOR YOU?

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday---the beginning of Lent---the Holy Season leading up to Easter---which commemorates the days leading up to the crucifixion of Christ.  Facebook was full of comments about what others are giving up for Lent---OF COURSE---it gave me pause to ponder--IF I were to observe these 40 days by giving something up---what would it be?

I LOVE chocolate----it would be a big sacrifice to give up my little bites of chocolate I enjoy everyday--

I HAVE TO HAVE my Diet Dr Pepper EVERY morning---my caffeine kick to begin my day---omitting that would likely cause pain to those around me!

I could stop writing for 40 days---I might implode

While thinking all this over--it occurred to me--it is not necessarily about giving something up----you could commit to doing something daily for 40 days--It IS about DISCIPLINE!  Discipline to NOT do something or TO do something!  Discipline requires a conscious effort in the beginning--but with persistence it becomes habit- Perhaps even a Holy Habit. I plan to find something I will commit to doing everyday for 40 days--something God would approve of--something to further His kingdom in me and on this earth.  40 Days of Purpose-Self Imposed Discipline-Leading to a Habit--Pursuing HIS Plan for me.

"Exercise daily in God, no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever."

I Timothy 4:9

The Message

A LIFE OF SHORTCUTS

We all want to get where we want to be as fast as possible.  Shortcuts become our game in life.  #1 Son recently told me a story of driving a LONG way to go skiing.  The dad of one of the other families on the trip announced before leaving to return---"I found a shortcut."  The shortcut added two hours to the trip.  It sounded as if the entire family was ready to jump out of the car before they finally arrived home.

How I would love to be in excellent physical shape again!  There is NO magic pill--no easy way---no shortcut to regain what I have managed to loose over the past year.  It is going to take hard work---  and plenty of sweat and maybe tears to reach that mark again.  You cannot hit and miss---half way do--wish it into existence--the only way is hours and hours of work.

I am once again painting----GROAN---and my paint crew is still in Louisiana. The garage apartment's last tenant smoked inside the apartment and it smells of cigarette smoke.  There is NO short cut ---this has to be done and done right to rid the interior of the smell.  This means priming with Kiltz first and then painting.  It is so discouraging to put a coat of primer on and KNOW you have another step to go---but that is the only answer. 

"Shortcuts take us where we do not want to go and cost more than we are prepared to pay."  We become obsessed with getting where we want to go and getting what we want to have as soon as humanly possibly---so we begin looking for shortcuts.  We fail to recognize the consequences for looking for an easy way out and often it takes much longer than expected--because we are unwillingly to do the correct thing initially.

Jacob tried to take a shortcut.  His mother was promised He would be the father of a great nation---BY GOD.  Sissy Boy Jacob let his momma talk him into deceiving not only his brother, but his father---her plan to ensure he got what had already been promised.  He tried to take a shortcut.  The consequences--he had to flee or face murder by his furious brother--he never saw his mother again---she did not see him married--nor know her grandchildren AND it ended up taking twenty additional years for the promise to be fulfilled.   

ARE THERE EVER REALLY ANY SHORTCUTS?  I suspect not--certainly not without cost!  "There is a wrong way to pursue God's purpose and promise for your life."  Avoid those shortcuts--that end up being the long way around--stay the course and on His time table--ALL for HIS good purpose.

"Now my son listen to me. Do what I tell you."

Genesis 27:8

DOUBT IS GOD'S GIFT

"Doubt is only fear

Fear Knocked at the door

Faith Answered

And There was nobody there."

We all have doubts-----doubts which lead to fears---or do fears lead to doubts?  I heard the quote above on BBC--of all things.  Profound!  I also heard the title of this blog on the same show.  You might think it a strange thing to say---at first--and then you mull it over and the dawn of understanding comes.

Why would God give us doubt?  How could it possibly be a gift?  It causes us to learn trust and with trust comes faith--or  does faith come with trust?  I believe they are all interchangeable and so intertwined--it is the age of mystery of what came first the chicken or the egg?  

Does it matter which comes first?  I think not--what matters is that by allowing us to experience through free will--doubts about our future--doubts about Him--doubts about life--doubts about our very reason for being---we learn faith-trust.  The fears-doubts--cause us to think--examine Him---and when we see how faithfully He has acted in our lives--how faithfully He has loved us--how He can be relied upon day after day--we learn to trust Him and have faith in who He is.  The GREAT I AM!

As we learn over and over---His faithfulness---THEN when fear knocks at the door---our faith will answer it for us---and we will find fear has fled.  So do not fret when you doubt---look to Him and learn---faith and trust---and fear will be gone replaced by Assurance.

"I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"

Psalm 27:13-14

JUST ONE MORE DANCE---

When I was a pre-teen, I took ballroom dancing classes in Farmerville.  I do not remember who taught them, but I do remember taking them.  As a teen, I figured out how much I loved to dance.  I never missed an opportunity to dance, and might have even been guilty of creating an occasion a time or two to enjoy the rhythm of the music.  Our class had the first prom at my high school.  It was frowned upon ---you KNOW what dancing can lead to!  It was a fun night that I remember well.  My date for the night has not spoken to me since---not sure WHAT I did?

When I started college, I took ball room dancing again.  I GOT AN A!  There is a story behind that A--it is ALL about whom you pick to be your partner!  I danced my college years away and then I danced again as a young adult.  LOVED TO SHAKE A LEG!

There was a day that finally came along that I learned I was not up to
 par in most areas of my life.  I stopped dancing---I was intimidated and self conscious--fearful of judgement.  On rare occasions, I would join in and dance--but the dye had been cast and my self-image struggle took over.  How I regret missing all those dances.  A lifetime of sitting on the sidelines!

As I walk the sidewalks, hills, paths, and roads here in Fort Worth, I once again have put my earbuds in to entertain myself as I trek along.  I have a wide spectrum of music on my playlist---Opera to country and all in between---and LOTS of Christian contemporary.  I am walking to the beat---I have not lost the rhythm.  While cleaning the garage apartment today, I found myself dancing while scrubbing---enjoying the beat and the joy of dancing.

God is teaching me how He feels about me---He is stripping away layer after layer of self debasement and low self-image.  He is showing me how to dance onto Him---for His good pleasure.  Let go--and forget who is watching--just enjoy the moment.  It is not always easy---I still fall in the trap of the pit of self consiousness --but I am not giving up.  Perhaps someday---He will allow me one more dance---all for His glory.

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Isaiah 41:13

SILENCE OF GOD

Disengage the blog music by clicking on the double bars on the left top of the page.


The Holy Lonesome Echo---In the Silence of God

THIS WEEK IN THE HOOD

I find myself busier and busier here in The Hood:

Started off last Saturday by attending Mass with a sweet friend:

It was the beginning of a great evening at a Fund Raiser for a local Catholic High School.  These Texans KNOW how to Raise Funds!  The dinner did NOT consist of some rubbery chicken but your choice of 6 food trucks!

Then NO speeches--instead a concert and dancing with Pat Green and his band.  I must confess I did not know who Pat Green was--I do now!

Meanwhile back here in the hood--the emails are flying--

The lost Chihuahua's new mommie reported they have named the nomad "Simon" and the vet has checked him out and he is adjusting to his new family.

The BIG NEWS---the "Travelers" are back in large numbers.  My security light turned on in the middle of the night this week and I found my garbage can lids opened the next day.  Perhaps someone is roaming around my yard in the middle of the night. I also discovered someone had tampered with my garage doors---I would be MOST upset if my blower was stolen!  I turned over and went back to sleep---the alarm is activated every night and I have my protection close.

Look closely at this picture---what you see sticking out is feet.  My heart truly breaks for these people--but I have to be sensible.

And then I saw this house--notice the French Doors over the garage--NO STAIRS---I suppose this is where Superman lives and he needs a place to  take off from when he is on a mission to save the world  OR perhaps it is an escape route when you are over the edge---Who Knows?

I am painting the garage apartment---apartment white.  It was brown--someone had smoked in there---the apartment may collapse from the additional weight of the paint required to correct the smell and color.  EVERYONE KNOWS--you paint rental units neutral colors AND there will be a huge penalty if anyone smokes in the future---Hopefully this will end my short career in painting!

I leave you with this:

My garage has a raised lip to keep water from entering.  The lip is so high it makes it difficult to pull your car into the tight small space (OLD HOUSE)--without gunning the motor while making sure you are properly lined up.  I called #1 Son--asked what do you think I should do.  His reply, "Walk around Lowe's and look until you see something that might work."  YES--I will walk around Lowe's hoping something will fall off the shelf---and hope it might work--because I do not have a clue.  More than likely I would end up looking at the power tools, window treatments and patio furniture!

SO I mention this dilemma to my two friends who are aeronautical engineers at Lockheed.  NEVER present a problem to an engineer---it completely slips their mind that this is NOT their field of expertise--and they are on a mission to come up with a fix.  SO I get an email from them---we will be over Saturday to POUR CONCRETE to fix the problem.  WAIT---this is NOT an airplane wing--this is concrete and when you pour it---if it is not right--it must be JACK HAMMERED out!  I politely told them---"Thank you so much for the offer, but I need further time to think this over."  AND perhaps the opportunity to meet a couple of Civil Engineers!