Today I started off on the right foot. It is only 8:40 am and I have been awake 5 hours, not by choice of course. I spent most of Sunday with a whopping fever of 104, and spent the majority of Monday sleeping and watching movies, so the ole body decided that it didn't need any more rest.
What sparked my desire to post this morning was an interesting conversation that I started with myself and decided to delay because I wanted to do it all in one go so that I don't forget anything.
(Yes, a conversation with myself. No, I cannot excuse it by pointing fingers at a fever or an abnormally early rise today. It is my way of thinking. As an only child who never had anyone to bounce ideas off of it seems like talking to yourself is the only route to go. The way it works is I make up a hypothetical scenario in my mind based on something that pops into my head. I then have a 2nd party ask me about it and argue against me while I try to rationalize and defend my position...I don't have the conversations out loud, but in my mind...because that would just be weird...and I don't instigate them either, they just happen.)
Anyways, this morning I was reflecting on how happy I was the two weeks or so after graduation, that I was very joyful. I attributed it to the freedom from the burdens of school, the book I had just started and the prospect of reading many more, and the time I got to spend gardening for my job. The book was Serve God, Save the Planet. It helped me process and analyze to own trends and actions in a way the was more in depth that I had previously. Earlier, my opinions on simplicity and consumption were honed in on only a few areas of my life. After reading the book I have been trying to uncover all of the areas that I had previously told myself were already as streamline as they could be, and re-examine them.
The beginning of this morning's conversation started with the 2nd party asking "Are you happy?" "Not as happy as I was a few weeks ago," I thought. "But I am not unhappy. I am contented and peaceful. I am enjoying what I am doing, but I don't always have a smile on my face to show it. Should I always be trying to be happy?" (That is as far as I went this morning but will now continue outside of quotes) Or is that what leads us down roads of hallow pursuits and self-indulgences? When I think of people I have known who constantly have a smile on their face, I remember that it is harder to take them seriously. They might seem less genuine, or even mentally vacant. It is obviously natural to go through high and lows. But if we can avoid lows without shirking responsibilities, should we constantly be striving for 100%-all the time- bliss and joy. Is being happy also draining emotionally, so we settle back into a medium to rest? I think about heaven and think will it be all joy, all the time. And if so, then we should strive for the same here? It is clear that Jesus wasn't all smiles 24/7. So perhaps my answer is there. Perhaps, the question was stupid to begin with, but it would be a shame if you didn't exercise our intellect ever now and again. It would be even more shameful if we assumed that some things were too mundane to pay heed to and didn't challenge our basic everyday assumptions.
I now must go to the doctor to get diagnosed for what is almost certainly strep throat.
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4 comments:
Boone, I've read your blog for some time now, but I've never mentioned how much I appreciate your honesty and reflectiveness.
Distinguishing between happiness and joy has been important for me in recent years. When I came to faith I somehow equated the two or regarded joy as a logical byproduct of happiness. The first assumption is simply wrong and the second isn't necessarily true. Coming to understand, at least in small measure, what joy and happiness truly are (primarily their roles for and within the life of faith) has helped me accept many things about myself that I previously regarded as unfortunate or regrettable. Emotionally speaking, I'm a very dry person who isn't often exuberant or gleeful. What you wrote about Jesus was definitely true and extremely good news... Jesus wasn't all smiles 24/7.
I would love to hear your thoughts, possibly the result of another internal conversation, about the classic verse to which everyone seems to refer when discussing these matters..."Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice" (Phil. 4:4). If joy and happiness are not the same, what do you think Paul has in mind here? What do you believe the foundations of joy are? I would love your thoughts because they'll help me reflect upon my own convictions.
p.s. I'm sorry I missed your baptism, by the way. That is another experience I would enjoy hearing about... maybe over a few beers and a pipe at your house at Chris and Jill's wedding?
Blessings,
Peter
I'll post here in response to your question as you did to mine. The poetry is all mine (some good and some not-so-good), a few reflections and such...the most recent is actually a hymn, the one directly preceding that is a prayer, and further down are two poems. I don't claim to be a photographer, and the photos thoroughly evidence that reality.
By the way, thanks for forwarding me your question regarding the church... let me think it over and either write you back or we can talk this weekend.
Hey Boone, Two thoughts, rejoice in the Greek means?
From the MacSword commentaries.
Be continually happy; but
this happiness you can find only in the Lord. It is not from anything you are doing. All things are impermanent. Genuine happiness
is spiritual; as it can only come from God. According to CSLewis, all earthly happiness (rejoicing) is a pale imitation of what is Real.
Also, I have a 2004 atlas of Spain from my trip. Stop by or I will sent to my mothers
Hi, my name is Dustin and I work with a Christian environmental organization called Christians in Conservation: A Rocha USA. I noticed that you mentioned the book "Serve God, Save the Planet" in your post, and I thought that you might like to know that sponsors its author, Dr. Matthew Sleeth, as a "creation care evangelist." We would love for you to check us out at our website, en.arocha.org/usa. You might also be interested in the website for Dr. Sleeth's book, www.servegodsavetheplanet.org.
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