The Pursuit of Happiness - Feb 13

Yes, it's Friday the 13th. Well whoop-de-do! I've never put any stock in such silly superstitions anyways. It's late and I'm still wide awake so I've decided to post before I go to bed. To me there's nothing more satisfying than falling into bed completely exhausted!

Happiness vs. Joy

For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.
(Deuteronomy 16:15b)

Did you know there's a distinct difference between the two? Happiness is largely determined by circumstance, joy is permanent. A happy person may not necessarily be joyful and joyful person may (or may not) be happy. Why do we fail in making the distinction?

The Growing Infantilism in Our Society

Aren't we not supposed to become wiser as we approach old age? The kids are alright; it's the adults that need constant supervision. We regard liberty as a license to do as we please rather than the serious-minded endeavour it was always meant to be. We are retarded in our thinking, never looking at the larger picture. We want to be 'happy' - never a bad thing in and of itself - yet how many of us have the joy of fellowship with God and those who love Him? So much superficiality, so little time!

A Mile Wide and an Inch Thick

Our happiness ought to have some depth and substance to it. Circumstances change rapidly as do our environment. Thus the question begs itself: What foundation do you base your happiness on? Is it a sure thing? Is it rock solid?

Facing the Inevitable: Death and Taxes

I found myself today walking past a kiosk with the usual sensationalist tabloid headlines. Cher apparently has three years left to live! That according to some expert who's looking at the stressful lifestyle Cher is leading. You know what I said to myself? We all gotta meet our Maker sometime. In the back of our minds we know full well our own mortality will one day betray us. Think about it. From the time I started this post to when I finally publish (plus countless edits to boot) somebody out there will have left it all behind. Death is no respecter of time, date or place. It's foolish to go 'all in' when it comes to our health. Nor do I have to tell you about the temporal nature of money. We all need it. It would be impossible to function without it. We know from experience money comes and goes. Placing all our faith, hope and trust in our financial portfolios is a mug's game.

The Key to Happiness

I heard from a preacher on the radio some time ago about happiness. You know what he said? Happiness isn't something you find, it's something you stumble across when you discover holiness. How then do we discover this holiness? It is found in knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Jesus came so that we may have life and have it in abundance. That's joy. That's a sure thing. That's a rock we can stand on, no matter what.

Johnny Cash