Day 22

The Joy of Sunday Morning: Part 1
Introduction

What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear “Sunday morning church service” ? Is it obligation, tradition, or even boring? How do you feel about going to church on Sunday morning, and more importantly, why do you feel that way? Unfortunately, for many people going to church is not the highlight of their week. They might go because they are expected to, or because they want to keep up appearances of being “good Christians.” I found this proverb, and think it is fitting: “Some go to church to see and be seen, Some go there to say they have been, Some go there to sleep and nod, But few go there to worship God”. This is not the way it should be, however, and this is not the way Christ intended us to view it. Christ is madly in love with His Church, His bride, and He calls us to love it as well. The Sunday morning service is just one aspect of what the Church of Christ Jesus is, but it is a fundamental part. A church service brings the family of Christ together to worship God, hear His Word, fellowship with one another, and minister to one another. It is just one setting in which the Body of Christ can perform the tasks that God has called it to do. For this reason, Sunday morning church services should fill us with joy. Do they?

This is the first part of a five part series on this subject. I love going to church on Sunday mornings, and I hope that everyone who reads this blog does as well. Gathering together with the body of Christ is a privilege, and the fact that we can do it so easily and without threat or danger in this country is an added blessing. I have broken down the things that take place on a typical Sunday morning into four categories, and will look at each of them in turn. I pray that you will be edified and encouraged with this series.

Note: I realize that many churches offer services on alternative days and times than just on Sunday mornings. Please realize that I am just using "Sunday morning" as a general term for going to a church service, since that is the most widely recognized.

Day 21

I got a call from a friend today that reminded me that life is hard. I don't know about you, but I'm a fixer. Whenever I hear of someone who is going through a hard time, I want to fix the problem the fastest way possible. Too often that is how I pray as well: "Dear God, please heal so and so. Please provide so and so with a job. Please help so and so overcome this battle." I don't actually pray like that, but many times at the root of my prayers is the exact thing that I wrote above. There is a problem. I have a solution. Unfortunately, too often I pray for my solution and not God's solution. I know as well as anyone that God uses different phases of our journey to mold us and refine us in specific ways. Does God care if we have a job, or good health or whatever else we "need"? Yes, He does. However, what's usually more important than the job, or good health, or victory from a particular sin is the journey that God takes us on to get us there. Faith and trust in God is not usually built when sailing is smooth. We discover who we are, and more importantly, who God is, when the storms of life come. He is our provider, He is our strength, He is our fortress, He is our help. The list could go on and on. The lessons God teaches us during the storms are ones that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. I look at it like building blocks. God teaches us to trust Him, and then He teaches us how to trust Him more, and then He teaches us how to trust Him even more. The Christian life should never be a stagnant one. If we aren't pushing ourselves to grow, then God will.

I once was praying to God about a situation. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it was a big issue. I remember praying for my solution, and God asked me if I wanted the situation to turn out the best way, which was His way, or my way. I had to wrestle for a minute with that one, because there was a lot at stake. My way and God's way are not always mutually exclusive of each other, but neither are they mutually inclusive. God's best way could have been to answer my prayer exactly as I prayed for it to be answered, or it could have been the exact opposite. That's the tricky part about trusting God: we know His way is best, but we might not see it like that at the time. I told God I wanted the best way, even if it meant losing everything.

I don't really remember the outcome because I'm not exactly sure what situation was. But that doesn't matter. The point is that God had strengthen my faith and taken me on a journey of building a relationship with Him that allowed me to trust Him completely in that situation. Sadly, I don't always remember that lesson when I pray. But I pray that I will. And I pray that you will.

Day 20

Tonight my husband and I have the privilege of having my brother and his girlfriend over for dinner. I have been looking forward to this all week, and I will tell you why. First of all, I love entertaining. I love having people over, feeding them good food, enjoying their fellowship, and getting to know them better. How much do I love entertaining? Well, I just spend 40 minutes setting the table. I know, I know that's a long time. But I had to try about half a dozen napkin folding masterpieces before deciding on the appropriate one, and then there was the trudge in the snow to retrieve some fall leaves, and then the big decision about which color fondue fork everyone would get (I'm serious). Yes, it was some work, but I enjoyed every minute of it and it is completely worth it if they feel welcomed and loved.

Second of all, I especially love hanging out with my brother, and now with his girlfriend as well. I am really looking forward to getting to know her better. The first time, and longest time, I have hung out with her we bonded through nearly starving to death in Denver after a Bronco's game. We just barely pulled through by eating Jelly Bellies and black market Burger King jr. whoppers. It was quite the adventure. Over the past few months I have interacted with her in more normal circumstances, and she has been lovely to get to know. We are planning on playing a funny/embarrassing game tonight, so that should cause good bonding as well. There's nothing like making fools of yourselves to really forge friendships.

Fun, laughter, friends, family and snow. What a perfect evening.

Day 19

I don't know if you have noticed it or not, but it has been nineteen days and I have yet to write about the thing that brings me the second greatest joy in my life apart from the gospel and being a Christian. Why have I not written about it? Well, it's complicated. I'm not sure how to do it in a way that is edifying to my faithful readers. For you see, the thing that brings me the second greatest joy in life is being married to my wonderful husband.

I could go on and on about why I love my husband and how he brings me so much joy. However, if I did that, who would I be encouraging? I know the feeling of someone who is single and wishes to be married, and I don't want to make it ache any more than it already does. God's timing is not our timing, and sometimes God's timing has a lot of loneliness in it. On the other side, I don't want to create discontentment by having married people start comparing their spouses with my spouse. So really, a discussion on that topic would not edify many people, except maybe my husband and me.

So let me go another route. One of the greatest factors needed for joy, no matter whether you are married, engaged, or single, is contentment. If you are single and discontent, marriage is not going to make you joyful, at least not for long. Joy comes from a heart that is content, no matter the circumstances, no matter the relationship status. I can be in the perfect marriage, but if my heart longs for a bigger apartment or a better job or more friends, that perfect marriage cannot compensate for the discontentment in my heart. On the flip side, joy can spring from the tiniest apartment in the worst part of town when ends are barely being met. It's not the circumstances and it will never be the circumstances that will bring you joy. Circumstances might make you happy for a while, but happiness is a fragile blossom while joy is a deep root.

To end, let me quote the apostle Paul. In Philippians 4:11-13 he says, "For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be live humbly and how to live in prosperity. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

I pray that you find joy in your contentment.

Day 18

I stumble through the woods, seeing the leaves on the ground and hearing them crackle beneath my faltering feet. I'm covered in dirt, so covered that it has seeped into my pores and seems to reach to my bones. It irritates my skin, making me scratch at it, but it only makes it worse. All I want is to be clean again, but I can't find anything that can help me. I search in vain. I just want to be clean! And then suddenly the trees thin out and there's a little clearing, and in the clearing there is a man. At first I think that he, too, is covered in dirt, but as I get closer I see that it is actually blood. His blood, coming from so many wounds I don't know how his skin is holding him together. I look into His eyes, and in them see the deepest well of suffering and pain that a person could ever endure. And the worst part is not that I am unable to prevent this suffering,

But that I caused it.

This man is dying, and I killed Him.

I want to tear my eyes away in shame, but something compels them to stay. His eyes, those pools of sorrow, are also a well-spring of love- love that overflows and pours over me. I look down, and I see the dirt that was covering me washing away. It only takes a moment, and then I am clean.

Step out of the story with me. Take away the forest. Replace the clearing with a hill named Golgatha. Replace innocent dirt with permeating sin. And put the man on a cross. What do we have, my friends? We have where guilty was replaced with innocent, condemnation replaced with grace. A place where righteousness replaced wickedness and justice coincided with mercy. We have the truth that we are all sinners, and Christ came and died for our sins when we were without hope. He took the punishment for our sin on the cross, and then he conquored the penalty for our sin by defeating death by rising again from the dead. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Why the gospel, you ask? Because, my friends, in order to understand true joy, you have to go to the place where your sin was hideous and your soul was black. For only when you see the depth of your depravity can you understand the depth of grace needed to cover it. Only when you understand that Christ died on YOUR cross and took the punishment for YOUR sins, can you understand what love really looks like. And only that can bring true and everlasting joy.

Ponder the cross. Look at the cause of unimaginable suffering and find the ultimate paradox: true joy.

Day 17

I found this poem by William Henry Davies. Like many poems, the wording is rather cumbersome to those of us who don't read poetry on a regular basis, but the content is very thought-provoking. I hope it gives you reason to pause and ponder for a moment.

Joy and Pleasure
by William Henry Davies

Now, joy is born of parents poor,
And pleasure of our richer kind;
Though pleasure's free, she cannot sing
As sweet a song as joy confined.

Pleasure's a Moth, that sleeps by day
And dances by false glare at night;
But Joy's a Butterfly, that loves
To spread its wings in Nature's light.

Joy's like a Bee that gently sucks
Away on blossoms its sweet hour;
But pleasure's like a greedy Wasp,
That plums and cherries would devour.

Joy's like a Lark that lives alone,
Whose ties are very strong, though few;
But Pleasure like a Cuckoo roams,
Makes much acquaintance, no friends true.

Joy from her heart doth sing at home,
With little care if others hear;
But pleasure then is cold and dumb,
And sings and laughs with strangers near.

Day 16

On Sunday, my brother wrote an excellent post on his blog, Everyday Strangers. It was titled Genuine Worship and it urged the reader to examine themselves during worship and think about if they were half-hearted, just going through the motions, or putting on a show for others. Here is my brother's heart for worship and for writing this post: "I want people to be able to genuinely worship on every song that we sing. I want people to experience the grace of God like never before and fall down in amazement. I cannot command someone to have genuine worship because it is a heart issue. What I can do is pray for them and encourage them to seek Him day after day."
If you would like to read the whole thing for yourself, and I highly suggest that you do, here is the link: http://everydaystrangers.blogspot.com/2011/10/genuine-worship.html

My brother's blog post got a lot of attention this week. When I received the weekly update for Ignite, our church's college and career group, I saw his post at the beginning of it. Our pastor saw the update as well and was so impressed he asked permission to put it on the church-wide email update that went out today.

Apparently my brother stepped on a few toes with what he had to say, because a few hours later our pastor sent out another email explaining the post and that the intent was not to condemn, but to encourage individuals to examine their hearts for genuine worship. This makes joyful and proud of my brother at the same time. He had the courage to write about a controversial topic, and what he had to say did indeed create some controversy. However, that means that he got it right in his post, for only when truth is spoken can a person be convicted by the Holy Spirit. I don't believe someone should step on toes just because they can, but I also know that that was not my brother's purpose in writing. He genuinely wants people to worship with their whole heart, and I believe he encouraged people to do it better by asking some tough questions. If someone felt condemned or judged, it's probably because they know their heart isn't in the right place when it comes to worship, and his post touched a nerve. My prayer is that instead of feeling judged, those people will examine themselves and come to the Lord with a heart full of genuine worship. Our Lord deserves nothing less.

May your heart be filled with joy in worship.

Day 15

I'm really joyful right now. It's one of those days where life is just right. I worked this morning for seven hours, and I actually feel like I got something accomplished today. Also, I don't have to work again until Monday, which is a nice feeling. My brother shared a new song with me, and it has become a favorite. Ironically, the lyrics have a similar flavor of this blog: enjoying the little moments with the ones you love. If you would like to hear it, it is Lady Antebellum's "Heart of the World" from their "Own the Night" album. Additionally, I have planned the menus for two dinners next week with friends, figured out what I am bringing to Ignite and small group, figured out dinner tonight, and am looking forward to getting started on making the Christmas stockings. I realize that I have already mentioned the stockings twice in this blog, am I'm sure that they will get mentioned again since creating things gives me great joy, so I'll be sure to post a picture of them when they are done. I'm also looking forward to the worship night on Saturday and the time we get to spend with family and friends over the next week.

This is the type of joy that I want to live in every day, the type of joy that I want to bring to others. It's not big and flashy; it's quiet and content. It's the joy that comes from a job well done, and the anticipation of good times in the future. It's the joy that comes from living life well. I've tasted it, so now the goal is to learn how to live in it every day. My journey has just begun.

May the God of peace grant you joy.

Day 14

My goal in this post is to come up with a list of ten little joys that I have experienced today. As I am beginning to write this I don't have ten things already in mind, so we'll see how this goes. Of course, if I don't get to ten, I can just rewrite this intro and change the number : ) Enough babbling, here I go:

1) I started working on the reception decorations for a friend's wedding. I love weddings, I love helping with weddings, I love being in weddings, and I loved my own wedding. They bring me joy.

2) My husband was able to come home for lunch. There's nothing like seeing your best friend to brighten up a day. Sometimes I wonder if we will ever be able to spend enough time together, because it never seems like enough.

3) During lunch, we were able to eat up four left-overs. I had chili that was a week and a half old, so we'll see if I still consider that a joy later on : ) However, our refrigerator has been overflowing with left-overs for a while, despite our best efforts, so it was nice to clean it out and not waste that food.

4) I went shopping and got eggs on sale for a dollar a dozen. I love it whenever I get a good deal on anything, but getting eggs on sale is extra special to me for some reason. (Yes, I'm strange. Try to get over it.)

5) I heard one of my favorite songs on the radio while shopping. I had forgotten about this song despite it being one of my favorites, so I was happy to be reminded of its existence once again.

6) The tree outside of our apartment building is a beautiful shade of orange. I have always loved orange trees because they are so much more rare than yellow and red ones, especially in Colorado.

7) I enjoyed the sun wrapping my car in warmth as I drove. As the relentless grind toward winter continues, I know the days of being warm outside are slipping away.

8) I had a lovely cup of chai while working on the computer.

9) I had enough dishes to do a load in the dishwasher. Usually we hand wash our dishes. Ah, the little things in life.

10) I know this is future, but I know it will bring me joy. My husband and I are going over to my parent's house for dinner tonight, and it is always enjoyable to spend time with them.

Ha! I did it. You should consider trying it yourself, and see what comes up. I'd love for you to post your list in the comments section so that you can encourage others as well.

May your day be full of joy.

Day 13

It was supposed to be a fast trip to the fabric store. All I needed was two more small pieces of fabric so that I can get started making some Christmas stockings. I started looking, found some possibilites, then grabbed a number for the cut table while finalizing my selection. I was six numbers away and there were two or three cutters working at the counter. I figured I had about ten minutes before my number was called so I picked the couple of fabrics I wanted and then just looked around for awhile. It was a long while. When the number before mine was called I meandered closer to the counter so I wouldn't miss my number being called. I stood there, and stood there, and stood there. For probably fifteen minutes. Oh, did I mention that I was supposed to pick up my mom at four? It was past four before I got to the cut table, and I had been waiting in line for around 30 minutes. For six people ahead of me. With three cutters at the counter. Grrr.

When I got to the checkout line and saw that it was so long that I wasn't even in the designated aisle where it normally starts, I called my mom and told her that I was going to be late. She was very understanding. She always is. But I was still frustrated and unhappy. I ended up being there for over an hour for two dollars and sixty-eight cents worth of fabric. Not cool.

You might be wondering where the joy turns up in this story. It doesn't. That's the problem. As I was driving home I was thinking about what I was going to write about in my blog, and I thought about this situation and my response to it. Can we all agree that it took way longer than it should have for me to get my two little pieces of fabric? Yes. Did I have a reason to be frustrated? Probably. Did I have to be frustrated? No. That was my choice. I didn't think about that at the time, but although it felt like the natural reaction to the situation, I didn't have to let myself be frustrated. I do not have to be controlled by my emotions; I have the ability to contol them. I had the choice to be joyful in that situation, but I chose not to be. The employees at the fabric store didn't take my joy from me; I willingly let it become missing in action.

Now that I've worked through that, let me search a little deeper. There have been times when I have had to wait in long lines and it hasn't bothered me at all. What was the difference in those situations? I wasn't supposed to be picking someone up at a certain time. Someone wasn't relying on me. That is where the frustration came in. However, my mom was understanding and was willing to wait. So why was I still upset? (Give me a minute, I'm thinking.)

I was frustrated because I don't like letting people down. Digging down deep I realize this is a pride issue. Sigh. I should have known. I could also probably throw in a bit a selfishness because that is the other issue that seems to be at the root of everything else. Pride and selfishness: the deadly duo.

I don't want to write an essay, so I will try to wrap this up. Let me sum up what I learned today about joy, or the lack thereof. I let my pride and my selfishness replace my joy in a frustrating situation. See, I can be concise. I pray that I will do better next time.

Day 12

Okay, okay. I know I've missed two days in a row. And that's bad. BUT, I have an excuse. On Thursday I received very, very exciting news that filled my heart with joy. However, that news was not public knowledge at the time. SOOO, as much as I wanted to share it, I couldn't, and nothing else seemed worth writing about in light of the BIG news. So that's why I haven't written in two days. The other reason is that I've been extremely busy and really haven't had the time to write even if I wanted to.

So are you ready for the big news?

MY BROTHER STARTED DATING A VERY SPECIAL YOUNG LADY THIS WEEK!!!

He has never been in a relationship before so this is a very exciting milestone in his life. And my life. The gal in question is very sweet and I am so happy for both of them.

When I heard the news, I started thinking about what I call "residual joy." It's something that causes someone close to you great joy, and because of that you feel joy as well. I think that that is a great gift from God: the ability to feel joy and happiness because of someone else's joy. I could be having the worst day possible, but if I hear good news about someone else, that fills me with joy in spite of my own circumstances. I remember hearing the news of my friends' engagement while my relationship with my boyfriend was going through a very difficult period. These friends and us had started dating around the same time and it was very easy to think that if circumstances were different, it could have been us getting engaged. I could honestly say, though, that I was very happy and very excited for them, and that in a way my own sadness and pain couldn't diminish the joy I felt for them. That's what I love I about joy: it doesn't depend on circumstances, it depends on the condition of your heart.

One of the goals for this blog is to separate the "good things are happening to me therefore I'm joyful" joy with the deeper joy that comes from being loved with the steadfast love of Christ and which doesn't depend on circumstances. Don't get me wrong, we should be joyful when God blesses us in life, which He does abundantly. But we also need to be joyful when life is hard. When you can do that, you have discovered the beginning of true joy.

May your joy be full.

Day 11

I said at the very beginning that in order to understand true joy, you have to understand true suffering. I don't think anyone knew this better than the apostle Paul. At the very beginning of his ministry, right after his conversion on the road to Damascus, God sends Ananias to Paul with these words: "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake." And Paul did suffer for Christ, very much. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul writes a list of everything that he has endured for the cause of Christ: flogged with thirty-nine lashes five times, beaten with rods three times, ship-wrecked three times, stoned, put in prison, and the list goes on. Paul lived almost every day with the threat of bodily harm, and many times it was more than just a threat. And yet in the next chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul writes these words:

"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ mas rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Paul learned not only to enduring suffering, he learned how to find joy in it. He learned that when his own strength failed it was an opportunity for Christ's strength to shine through and bring glory to God, and he rejoiced in that. What a testimony to the rest of us.

I love that passage from 2 Corinthians 12. It reminds me that God works in the midst of suffering. And although I don't suffer like Paul did, there are times when I have suffered because of painful circumstances in my life. Whenever that happens, I go back to that passage and pray that I may say with the apostle Paul, "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

May God grant that it may be so.

Day 10

It started out with four of us, I think. A small group to be sure, but enough. Most of us barely knew each other, but that would change soon enough. Our little group would grow, then shrink, then grow again as people came and went in life. It started out as a Bible/Christian book study, and technically it still is. But that's not why the little group meets every Tuesday. For the girls that go, Tuesday night Bible study is a time to share their lives with people who care, who listen, who empathize, even if they don't always understand. Women often don't want a solution to their problems as much as they just want to be able share them with a sympathetic ear, and that's what Tuesday night Bible study is. It's a time of laughter and fellowship, of tears and prayers. The prayer request/sharing time usually goes well over an hour to get through the five or six girls present. That's true fellowship, my friends. Christians coming along other Christians and encouraging them in their walk with Christ.

I had the privilege of being a part of the Tuesday night Bible study for two and a half years. During those years I had a lot of ups and downs, and those ladies were there with me through it all. They rejoiced with me and cried with me, and I with them. We didn't solve each others problems as much as help bear them. It was the closest group I have ever been a part of.

When I got married, my schedule had to get re-organized to compliment my role as a wife. I can't do everything that I did before I got married, because I need to spend time with my husband and work on building that relationship. Because of that, I bid a sad farewell to the Tuesday night Bible study. I still see most of the ladies at other points throughout the week, so I am able to keep the relationships going. And tonight it gives me great joy to visit the group once again. It's a special night, and I wanted to come back for it. I look forward to fellowshipping with those precious ladies once again, and being filled with joy in the presence of Christ.

Day 9

The music swelled, the people rose, and like a whispered prayer, the song began:

I want to be close, close to your side
So heaven is real, and death is a lie
I want to see angels singing above
Singing as one...

And suddenly I was acutely aware of how small and pathetic I was. As the worship leader had just reminded us, we are faint and grow weary. We have good intentions to have a longer, more consistent quiet time, we have good intentions to pray more, and we have good intentions to not stumble in sin time and time again. But more often then not, we don't do it. We are weak. We are human. We are faint and grow weary. But we serve a God who is not faint and does not grow weary. We serve a God who loves us in spite of our weakness.

Hallelujah, Holy Holy
God Almighty, Great I AM
Who is worthy? None besides Thee
God Almighty, Great I AM

Yes, that's the God we serve. Untouchable in holiness, yet clothed in humanity. Awesome in power, yet overflowing in love.

I want to be near, near to your heart
Loving the world, and hating the dark
I want to see dry bones, living again
Singing as one...

For me, true worship is true joy. There is something about worshiping God that transcends this earth and takes me to the doorway of heaven. I can leave my troubles behind and bask in the presence of God. What a privilege; what an honor.

Hallelujah, Holy Holy
God Almighty, Great I AM
Who is worthy? None besides Thee
God Almighty, Great I AM

The mountains shake before Him
The demons run and flee
At the mention of His name
King of Majesty
There is no power in Hell
Or any who can stand
Before the power and the presence of the Great I Am
Great I AM, great I AM

Amen.


"Great I AM" -New Life Worship

Day 8

Two little joys to write about today, both having to do with the same thing.

Joy #1: I cut my husband's hair for the first time unsupervised last night and I did not destroy his head. This is a good thing. In fact, not only did I not destroy his head, he was actually very pleased with the results. Ca-ching! Gold star for me. (In case you are unfamiliar with my gold star award system, I award myself gold stars whenever I feel like I deserve them. This is due to the fact that there is a complete dearth of other people giving me gold stars. Egotistical? Perhaps.)

Joy #2: I received my own semi-annual haircut this afternoon. I don't pamper myself very often, but twice a year I get my hair cut, and I love it. I go to a beauty college near where I live, and for ten dollars they wash your hair (which includes a head massage), cut it, and style it. You can't get a better deal than that. Although on the whole I'm not a touchy/feely person, I love it when people play with my hair. Of course, there are certain societal rules about this, and I'm sure that if my best friend walked in the room and started running her fingers through my hair that I would be little freaked out and wouldn't enjoy it. However, getting a haircut is one of those times when it's perfectly okay for someone to run their fingers through my hair, so I soak it up. Another reason I like it so much is because for two days out of the year, my hair looks like I want it to for the other 363 days.

I know these are small things, but that's really the point of this blog. Of course there's joy when someone gets married or has a baby, but I want to experience joy every day, not just on the momentous days. I hope that as you read this blog, you start to look for little joys in your own life and find them. If something brings you joy, don't feel the need to justify it or explain in away. Simply enjoy it, and be thankful.

Day 7

"Happy is the person who not only sings, but feels God's eye is on the sparrow, and knows He watches over me. To be simply ensconced in God is true joy. How small a portion of our life it is that we really enjoy! In youth we are looking forward to things that are to come; in old age we are looking backward to things that are gone past; in manhood, although we appear indeed to be more occupied in things that are present, yet even that is too often absorbed in vague determinations to be vastly happy on some future day when we have time."

C. C. Colton

I love quotes. To paraphrase from another quote that I don't really quite remember, "a quote articulates what we are thinking much better than we could ourselves." But that's okay, because to quote the words of Ambrose Bierc, "Quoting: the act of repeating erroneously the words of another."

Okay, okay, I've had my fun. Now to get serious. I really like the quote I put at the beginning because it describes the way a lot of us live, but at the same time we don't really realize that we are doing it. I would propose that people live this way because they have a slight fear of really enjoying life and being content. Why? Because we fear that if we are content with where we are at, then our situation isn't going to change. This is true, is it not? We think this way for some reason. We hold off enjoying life fully until we reach that next step, except joy never comes because there is always another step to get to first. Enjoy today! Yes, hope for things in life. Yes, look forward to a brighter tomorrow. But don't glamorize the future so much that present tarnishes. Be joyful today, and if tomorrow is better, then be joyful some more.

Another reason we aren't joyful is because we don't feel like we deserve it. This can be caused by guilt of our own actions and mistakes, or because we know people who are suffering, and it doesn't seem fair for us to be happy if they are not. Both of these reasons rob people of joy, but these thoughts have to be fought against and destroyed if you want to feel true joy. If you are Christian, there is nothing that you have done that Christ didn't pay the price for on Calvary. When you feel guilty about sin, confess it, and then let it go. To continue to beat yourself up over past sin cheapens Christ's sacrifice and ultimately rejects God grace. Christ saved us because we were sinners in need of a Savior, not because we were perfect and fun to be around.

The other reason we feel guilty is because of others' suffering. I struggle with this one. I look around and I see friends who are sick, who need jobs, who need families, who are hurting, who have lost loved ones, and I tell myself that I don't deserve to be happy when there is so much suffering in this world. Here is another quote I like that touches on this subject:

"We rejoice in spite of our grief, not in place of it. " Woodrow Kroll

Joy does not replace suffering, but it does ease it. Happiness is determined by our circumstances, but joy goes so much deeper. Living in joy is choice, and we can choose it even in the hardest times. Joy in life doesn't cheapen what someone else is going through, and many times a joyful person is a refreshing balm to a weary soul. And, as Virgil said, "Perhaps the day may come when we shall remember these sufferings with joy."

May you be filled with joy, my friends.

Day 6

I borrowed a book from my parents last weekend which was a collection of excerpts from college student's history papers. These excerpts were chosen because they are hilarious to read, and they make you wonder what exactly the student was thinking when they wrote it. It was written by a history professor who has apparently seen it all...literally. Let me share some of the pure magic of it with you, and may you enjoy it.

As I was reading through the book, I was able to detect certain groupings that the entries fell into. Many of the entries had very interesting spelling, and it made for some very funny writing. Some students were factually correct, but they couldn't seem to quite spit out what they were trying to say. For example:

"The ball of events and stoppers that were used to stop it from rolling only added to its momentum which kept it rolling."

and

"There was Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Lower Egypt was actually farther up than Upper Egypt, which was, of course, lower down than the upper part."

Then there were the odd ways of describing things:

"The historicle (their spelling) period ended shortly after World War II-III. Historians and others attempt to pin the tail on the reluctant monkey of change."

"Another problem was that France was full of French people."

"The Popes, of course, were usually Catholic."

Some of the entries just really didn't make any sense at all:

"North Africa is the region which lies in the northern part of Africa. (So far, so good.) It is therefore not in Africa. (How was that conclusion drawn from the previous sentence?) Without a doubt this was the Middle East, where all bets were misplaced. (Huh?)

My favorite, however, were the ones where the students could not find a word in the English language that properly conveyed the idea they were trying to present, so they just made up new ones:

"History grundled onward. International relationships moved to the broodle stage."

"Society was crumpity."

And my personal favorite:

"Society woozed out of the Nile 300,000 years ago. The Nile was a river that had some water in it. Every year it would flood and irritate the land. This tended to make the people nervous." (Who wouldn't be nervous on irritated land?)

I hope you enjoyed that, my friends, as much as I did. If you want to feel really good about yourself, you should read the whole thing. The book is called "Non Campus Mentis" by Anders Henriksson. It's a little sad to think about how these students made it to college, but also really funny at the same time. Enjoy.

Day 5

I realize that I have been a little sporadic lately, which isn't good since it's only day five, but I hope to have better luck this week since I should be home enough to actually write something. So if you have been following me so far, don't despair! And now, on to the feature presentation.

On Sunday night my husband and I were over at my parent's house, and my dad walks in with a big bowl of raspberries that he has just picked from the bushes out back. (Yes, you can grow raspberries in Colorado and yes, they are still producing in October.) "I think that these raspberries would be good in a cheesecake," Dad said while raising his eyebrows. I inherited a lot of things from my dad and his side of the family, and I think raising eyebrows to try to convince others of the brilliancy of your idea is one of them. I didn't need much convincing, but if I did I'm sure the eyebrow trick would have worked. You see, I love making cheesecake.

Ever since I was young I have loved making cheesecakes. I remember that it was the first thing that I wanted to conquer once I really started cooking and baking on my own. And I did. I am pretty sure that Raspberry Ribbon Cheesecake is the first one I tried, and to this day it is still my favorite. So, on Monday afternoon I was at my parent's house making a cheesecake. Ironically, I discovered recently that I don't actually enjoy eating cheesecake nearly so much as I enjoy making it, but that's alright. I can always find people who enjoy eating them much more than they enjoy making them, so it works out. I find great joy in cooking and baking, but there is something about beating the cream cheese and sugar until it is fluffy and stirring in the thick cream until the whole bowl is as smooth as silk that I particularly enjoy about cheesecake. And this particular cheesecake has a ribbon of rich red raspberry sauce in the middle of it and whole raspberries with more sauce on top. Did I mention the crust is made out of chocolate graham crackers? Oh yeah. That's what I'm talking about, dawg.

In case your mouth is watering like mine is, I have included the recipe from the Taste of Home website for your enjoyment. And, if you don't want to make it yourself, you might just be able to bribe me to do it for you : )

Raspberry Ribbon Cheesecake

Ingredients
2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar

RASPBERRY SAUCE:
2-1/2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice

FILLING/TOPPING:
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg whites
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed

Directions
Combine the first three ingredients; press into bottom and 1-1/2 in. up sides of a greased 9 in. springform pan. Chill 1 hour or until firm.

In a blender, cover and process raspberries until pureed. Press through a sieve; discard seeds. Add water if necessary to measure 1 cup.
In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in raspberry juice; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla until smooth. Add egg whites; beat on low just until blended. Stir in cream.

Pour half into crust. Top with 3/4 cup raspberry sauce (cover and refrigerate remaining sauce). Carefully spoon remaining filling over sauce.

Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until center is nearly set. Remove from oven; immediately run a knife around pan to loosen crust. Cool on wire rack 1 hour.

Refrigerate overnight. Add orange juice to chilled raspberry sauce; gently fold in raspberries. Spoon over cheesecake. Yield: 12-16 servings.

Day 4

On Friday night, my husband and I drove up to my parent's cabin outside of Lake George near Eleven Mile Reservoir. It's the perfect little cabin in the woods, and we enjoyed our time there Friday night and Saturday morning. However, the real reason we went up to the mountains this weekend was to see the glory of "Rocky Mountain Gold." If you have lived in Colorado for any period of time, you know what I am talking about. If you are confused right now, let me explain. Besides the abundance of pine trees in the mountains, there are also plenty of aspens, and in the autumn they turn a brilliant shade of gold that make the mountains glow. It only lasts for a couple of weeks each year, but it is worth it to find time to go up and see them. We enjoyed driving through the scenic valleys and slopes and then hiking up the Crags trail that is located on the back side of Pikes Peak. I am always filled with joy when I am surrounded by God's glorious creation. I cannot stop myself from praising the great creator God who filled our earth with so much diversity and beauty. He didn't have to make fall leaves change to beautiful colors before they dried up and fell down, but He did. What a privilege for us. Here are some pictures from the weekend. I don't have the best camera for shots like this, but you can get a taste of it at least. En"joy"!