You may not be old enough to remember a little book, or a series of cartoon that all began with the phrase, Happiness is... They were drawn by artist, Charles Schultz, and had some of my favorite childhood characters on them... Peanuts. There was this boy named Charlie Brown who had the cutest dog, Snoopy. Seems Snoopy was a bit brighter than good ol' Charlie Brown, but it was all ok with me. Then Charlie had his friends, Linus, Lucy and Pig Pen. Linus was the one with the blanket. Lucy was mean as heck, but once in a while we'd see her soft side. And then poor little Pig Pen... did that kid ever take a bath? We never saw their parents, only heard them, and I truly hope that I never sounded like that to my kids, but fear we all do at some point. But I had this little book called... Happiness is a Warm Puppy. It wasn't a book about puppies.
Rather, each page just had one simple sentiment which likened happiness to something a child might understand. Like... Happiness is sleeping in your own bed. Or... Happiness is knowing how to tie your shoes. All of them leading up to... Happiness is a warm puppy. And it was such a nice message to remind us, even as children, that the simplest things in life could bring us happiness. And while I believe God is certainly ok with us keeping life simple and seeking happiness, I don't know that happiness is the highest thing on His priority list for us. Simply because I don't find Jesus teaching a whole lot about seeking happiness in life. Rather, He seemed more concerned with teaching us love and how to love one another. And He came to show us, and to demonstrate that love for us, But He really couldn't have shown or expressed Himself any other way, because 1 John 4:8 tells us... God is love. Jesus didn't know how else to live, other than through love. He loved us first, so that we could know what love is, and pass it on to others in our life. But so many times in life I've gotten overwhelmed with verses about love, as if it's this "To Do List," that I will NEVER accomplish. I mean, when I read 1 Corinthians 13, I can't seem to get past, Love is patient. If I'm meant to master any of these "To Do's" of love, I'm in a heap-o-trouble. But something clicked with me one day, and this book on happiness kind of reminds me... keep it simple. This list of attributes on love is not a To Do list meant to overwhelm me. Or you, for that matter. None of us could ever master it in this lifetime, if that were true. We are fragile, frail and flawed humans incapable of perfect love. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't understand and recognize what love is. Jesus came teaching it. And since He IS love, we can literally substitute HIS name into each description of love given us in the love chapter, to better understand Him and how He can help us in life. God is patient; God is kind. God isn’t envious, God doesn’t boast, God doesn't brag, God doesn't strut about. There’s no arrogance in God's love; God is never rude, God is never crude, God is never indecent, God is not self-absorbed. God isn’t easily upset. God doesn’t tally wrongs God doesn't celebrate injustice; but God celebrates truth... yes, truth, is God’s delight! God puts up with anything and everything that comes along; God trusts, God hopes, and God endures no matter what. God will never become obsolete. God never fails Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 I love that list when I read it describing my God! It gives me so much hope. When I read it as a To Do list, I get overwhelmed. But when I realize that it's a description of Him and His perfection... of how He loves us and all He wants to do in, and through us, then my spirit is completely lifted rather than crushed. Read it again... slowly, line by line. It's breathtaking! Or rather... It's life giving! Happiness may be, for some, a warm puppy. But our God is LOVE! And that means so very much to me. He is a good GOD who wisely gives good gifts to His children. Let us receive them living in the abundance of His love; learning to love others because He first loved us. Word of God train me today... To realize the boundless way You love me. To be open to let You love others through me, a vessel wholly give to serve and to give.
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January 2019
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