Happiness

The agreeable sensations which spring from the enjoyment of good; that state of a being in which his desires are gratified, by the enjoyment of pleasure without pain; Happiness is comparative. To a person distressed with pain, relief from that pain affords happiness; in other cases we give the name happiness to positive pleasure or an excitement of agreeable sensations.
In a world full of trouble and turmoil it may be hard to find Happiness.

But I do believe you can find it!

But You have to look for it. You have to search it out! It will not just arrive. You may even have to manufacture it.

How you say?

Find some good and make yourself enjoy it.

Take your wife (or a good friend) out for dinner tonight and ask them 5 questions about their life. Listen to them and learn to enjoy the moment of a life shared with yours.

Pick your kids up early from school and take them to see a funny movie that you have already seen. When they say, “Dad, we have already seen this…” respond “I know I just wanted to hear you laugh, it makes my life worth the grind…” Then sit in the theater and wait for that moment you know is coming, just close your eyes and Listen to the laughter of your child.
Or find some funny story and share it with a friend who needs a laugh.

I recently discovered the article below, when I read it I laughed out loud. I printed it out and saved it till Saturday morning when Deb and I usually sit and enjoy a Starbucks and the view of our back yard bird feeders. (You thought my whole life was celebrity didn’t you?) Anyway, when I tell you we laughed, it is an understatement.

Laughter shared is so much louder and sweeter, it really is contagious.
(So today we share a letter written by that sad, Bible left in the lost and found at Church. That's right an open letter from a lost & found Bible.)

An Open Letter from a Lost & Found Bible

Dear Framanda Alvins,
This is your Bible. Remember me? You left me at GracePointeLifeTruthHouseNorthRiverElevateChurch. Last March. Remember, you had heard about its wonderful children’s’ ministry that had break dancing worship and an eagle piñata at its Fall Family Fun Festival last year and thought you’d give it a shot. You were probably sitting there in church thinking to yourself, “Oh, cool, they’ve got the Bible on screens now. This must be the contemporary service. I don’t need to lug this old thing around anymore.”
You even branded your name on me in official Bible gold-plated cursive…you really liked the way “Framanda” flowed in that gold lettering.
Well, I ended up here in the dusty black hole I like to call “lost and found”…not the “I once was lost, but now I’m found” “Amazing Grace” kind of found, but more of a “someone left me here and now I have to hang out with some baby’s misplaced teething ring” found.
Welcome to the island of misfit Bibles. On my left is a Bible with a p.h.a.t. (purely holy and theological) fabric cover with a Thomas Kincaid church scene on it. To my right is a Precious Moments Bible with one of those scary looking big-eyed angel babies on it. I think it is riding a sheep. Get me out of here!
Anyway, just thought I’d write you a letter letting you know that I miss you. I remember when you used to highlight me and stick old bulletins between my pages. Now you probably look up Bible passages on your iPhone. Sure…that’s why you’re on your phone at church.

You’re Friend,

Lost & Found Bible


We trust you Laughed.




















See You In Church
Pastor Mark & Deb


What makes You Happy? What makes You Sad?


Post a Comment!


Read on at your own Risk….It gets a little deeper from here on.


Click the Title below for a downloadable Bible Study!!


What Is Happiness?

First - The Body of Christ

First

Who doesn’t like this word?

First! “Before the rest, preceding or ahead of any others in order”

First Place. First in Line. First to finish. First picked to be on “The” team.

Numero Uno!

The First we remember……… not so much number two.

Our First Kiss. Our First Plane ride. Our First trip to Mickey Mouse Land. Our First Born. Our First wife! (I still have mine)

Well this is our First Blog.
I’m not sure it will be as memorable as your first trip to Disney but we trust it will serve its Purpose.

The Purpose:

1. To “Connect”

Since last September when we launched our church wide initiative “Connect ~ Commit ~ Care” we have striven to make each of these words come to Life in the corporate body of New Life. We must of course First Connect with God through His Son Jesus.

 We have also sought out ways to Connect with each other and work more fluently as a Body.

Selah (our daily email Devotion) has played a major role in getting us all on the “Same Page” everyday. As of today 830 individuals are signed up and Connected.

We see this Blog as an opportunity for Deb and I to Connect with you on a variety of subjects, personal, spiritual, financial, family, some serious, some funny. We just know that as never before we need each other to accomplish what it is God has for each of us to do.

2. To Teach & Encourage

The Blog for the most part will be split into two segments one will cover the “Connecting”

We will just touch base. Fill you in on a few things, and bring some updates of things you should know about in the Body. Our goal is to do these postings weekly.

The second part we will try to add is a Bible study or thought provoking article that will bless and challenge. These will be longer and more detailed than Selah and will only be mandatory for those with lots of time to kill.

3. To Comment

This is where you’re writing skills and obvious gift of “Encourager” will come into play. (Pastor Jason will be banned from the site) At the end of each posting you will be able to leave a comment about the blog that week. We can’t wait to hear from some of you and connect like never before.

See you in Church

Pastor Mark & Deb

Read on only if you have nothing else to do.

(This is known in the industry as a Disclaimer)

Click title below . . . 

The Church—The Body Of Christ   1 Corinthians 12:12-31