The Pursuit of Happiness

This isn't a review on that same titled movie in which Will Smith stars. In fact, I have never seen that movie.

Monday evening my family and I went over to a friend's house for a get together. There were many people there. One person in particular is an old Air Force colonel. He had been a mentor to my friends while they went to the Academy. As the get together got started, he asked us all 5 questions. Those of us who had never heard the questions had to promise to answer them once we heard them. I won't tell you all the questions, just in case you ever meet him, but one of the questions he asked which grabbed my attention was, "Who is the happiest person in the world that you know." Giving the recent circumstances of my life, I knew that I could not answer that I was the happiest person in the world. As I searched through my mind for who the happiest person I knew was, it was hard to think of someone I knew who was truly happy. What is interesting about this is that because I have been so depressed recently, it was hard to think of anyone else being in any other state. I ended up answering that Beth was the happiest person I knew.
My sister Katie answered that she should be the happiest person in the world. As the Colonel started pressuring her to answer whether she was or wasn't the happiest person, he explained to the rest of us that our answer should be that we are the happiest in the world. Since we all got the question wrong, his next question was, "what would it take to make you the happiest person in the world?"
My first reaction was that it would take perfection. It would take me to be perfect for me to be the happiest person. After thinking about it, I suddenly realized that if perfection was my aim, then I would never be happy again in this world. God calls us to be perfect, to be holy like Him, but He never tells us to wait to be happy because we are imperfect. Instead, He calls us to rejoice in His perfection, His righteousness, and the fact that He is making us like Him.
So, this week I am trying my best to be happy, to look on the bright side of things, because there is a bright side of things.
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10

My Christ

You all know as I do that it has been a very long time since I have posted on this blog. I beg forgiveness. In all honestly, I have not posted because I have had nothing to say.
Now I have something to say, though I'm not sure if it will even make sense.

I recently finished G.K. Chesterton's book Orthodoxy. If you have never read it, set aside some time and push it to the top of your "to read" list. It is well worth it. That is all I am going to say about that subject because I do not want to ruin the book for you if you haven't read it.

Life has been extremely difficult for me lately. As a child, I would watch my sister as she would get mad at herself for not doing something perfect and I would laugh at her. I was so glad that I never had the perfectionist streak. Since I have started to grow up, I have realized that I don't have a perfectionist streak: I am all perfectionist. As a Christian, I think a certian part of us is to desire perfection, yet we are to desire perfection from Christ. When I am constantly aware of my sinfulness and my imperfection and my complete inability to do anything right, I fall into despair. This state of despair is where I have lived for the past month. Yet I must remind myself that God looks on me and sees me as perfect because I wear a perfect robe of righteousness. Christ saw me, saw that I was not perfect and decided to die for me. Then He went up to God and said that He wanted to be His child. This is the part that I laugh at. I think it is very funny that Christ would choose me because I am such a broken vessel. Anyway, with an amazing amount of love, He saved me from my sin. Christ is going to make me perfect. He always finishes what He starts.

So, today I do not have anything special to tell ya'll, I just have simple story of a broken girl who has over and over again found forgiveness, love, and perfection in her brother, friend, and Savior.

Hymns?

I just had a conversation with a friend tonight about hymns and contemporary Christian music. I happen to be of the opinion that listening to hymns and some (emphasis on some) contemporary Christians music is fine outside of corperate worship. I would love to know your opinion on the subject. Some of the hymns of the church are beautiful expressions of love for God and theology. I have recently been listening to a cd that is new to me entitled "In Christ Alone" by Keith and Kristyn Getty. Two of the songs on it have been wonderful to draw my mind back to Christ. I have loved the hymn "In Christ Alone" for a long time. The words in it remind me of what Christ has done and the position He has put me in. I share the lyrics with you so you know what I mean:

"In Christ alone, my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song.
This cornerstone, this solid ground; firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love! What depth of peace! When fears are stilled, when strivings cease.
My comforter, my all-in-all. Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Christ was laid. Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain,
Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again.
And as He stands in victory, sins curse has lost its grip on me.
For I am His. And He is mine. Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life; No fear in death; This is the power of Christ in me.
From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home. Here in the power of Christ I'll stand."

Let me know what you think. :)