the long seeking.

Come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking.

- A. W. Tozer (The Pursuit of God)

A Happiness Manifesto

happy.

it seems like a fickle thing.

a thing not to be trusted.

a thing i have lost.

a thing i might not have again.

a thing that the bitter scorn.

i hear a lot about how we shouldn't strive for happy,

we should have joy.

i don't know what that means.

i like the word happy more.

i understand where they're coming from.

"doesn't God want me to be happy?"

people use happy as an excuse to sin.

but i don't want to excuse happy for that.

it's not happy's fault.

i think happy is good.

i think happy is right.

i think we were made to love happy.

i love happy.

we have emotions.

there is pain.

it is okay for happy to be shaken, for happy to fall down.

it is not the happy that doesn't shake,

it is the trust that doesn't shake

and this trust picks happy up again.

happy knows many things.

happy knows there is more than meets the eye.

happy knows i am never alone.

happy knows that all pain will go away.

happy knows there is a loving God in charge

happy knows i am always on His mind

happy knows that He knows all things

happy knows there is nothing He cannot do.

happy entrusts his life to a faithful creator.

happy entrusts his life, his breaths and heartbeats and health

happy also entrusts his life, his journey and ups and downs

happy entrusts.

happy then follows.

as the entrusting and following is happening,

there is a release

a realization

that in each moment

each step forward

happy can be found

i realize the pain

this world is broken by sin

but i happily thank my Father in heaven

for the gifts that are around me

physical beauty in colors.

stars.

glitter and glass and diamonds.

good food, good friends, good books, good fun.

ideas and music and love and thrill.

churches, children.

and where these don't remain,

i still have the happiest things of all

if i can't see the starts, they shine still.

they tell of Your unlimited glory.

Your hand in mine wherever i go.

a heart clean from sin.

a heart clothed in righteousness not my own/

the love of a Father who would send His son for me.

the proof of Your faithfulness as recorded in Your word

the hindsight of your purpose through all ages, many generations

the unstoppable plan for Your church.

the hope of heaven.

happy is a feeling.

i don't trust them,

but i think they are good.

they are from You.

i entrust my life to a faithful creator

each step

i will do my very best

to enjoy it.

I am determined that if all my senses contradict God, I would rather deny every one of them than believe that God could lie. –-Spurgeon

And at the end of my rope

when I could not solve my pain

or make it wash away

Then I came to the cross

and I saw You on that road

bearing that tree

And those steps You walked

You took them in my place

You suffered alone

the weight of my sins.

I do not know why this is happening to me.

I do not know what good will come of this.

I know that Your love for me is so great You would die in my place.

I know You suffered and bled to bring me to You.

I know Your love for me is deeper than the deepest ocean.

//

Thank You for saving me

What can I say

You took my sin and shame

I will bless Your name.

Great is the Lord, we cry

God let YOUR Kingdom come

Your word has let me see

Thank You for saving me.

oh God, You are my God

and I will ever praise You.

Always press into Him.

all things turn to good things.

(all Your ways are loving and are faithful)

dear self,

keep at it.

one day you'll be happy you did.

sweet corn pancakes

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/08/sweet-corn-pancakes/

chalkbaord labels

http://shopterrain.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=ST&Product_Code=HOUS-FIEL-128-001001&Category_Code=HOUS-FIEL

project to do: learn calligraphy

:-)