Here's to Happiness!

By our attitudes and actions, we Americans display a burning desire for a thing called "happiness."

Think about it. All the world wants to be happy. People from far and near are constantly seeking the secret to happiness.

Perhaps we've read this passage many times before, but for Happiness' sake, let's do it again . . . this time, with a smile.

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;

For her {wisdom} proceeds are better
than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies,
And all the things you may
desire cannot compare with her.

Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her. (Proverb 3:13-18)

In searching for true happiness,
be mindful to look to God.


Peace I leave with you . . .

WHO'S TO BLAME?

Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace. (Psalm 37:37)

When reading our Bibles in the 16th chapter of Genesis, we witness Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sara) in the middle of a stressful situation.

Since she couldn't bear children, Sarai told Abram to take her maid and have children by her. So Abram slept with Hagar, the maid, and she conceived his child.

After Hagar got pregnant, she despised Sarai. And Sarai blamed Abram. And Abram dumped it all off on Sarai and told her to do whatever she pleased. When Sarai mistreated the pregnant maid, Hagar ran away.

Now, for all of that stress, who's to blame? In Abraham and Sara's situation, as in so many of our own, what difference will pointing a finger at who's to blame make? What will it possibly change?

Playing the blame game can stress us to the max and cause our lives to be a total mess. Once we decide to redirect those energies and make certain that we are "not to blame," God's Word assures us peace.

There's much contentment to be gained from not being the blame.


Peace I leave with you . . .

H2O PLEASE

H2O, better known as water, is the most

overlooked stress suppressor available to us.

Water makes up more than two-thirds of our body weight. Every cell and organ in our bodies requires water to function properly. That's why it's important to drink plenty of water--even if we don't "like" it.

Many of us are walking around dehydrated and don't know it. Thirst signals dehydration. So by the time we become thirsty, our bodies are already dehydrated. Hello?

Dehydration is a big contributor to stress. When the body dehydrates, it induces anxiety and nervousness. Studies show that dehydration is one of the major causes for headaches. And, get this, fatigue is a side effect.

Dehydration can increase toxins in our bloodstreams and cause irritability and unnecessary stress. Drinking water throughout the day can flush those toxins out of our bodies.

Drinking eight glasses of good, clean water a day can also aid in the prevention and cure of many types of ailments that affect our bodies--such as headaches, depression, PMS, menopause, arthritis, back ache, constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Since water has no calories and contains no cholesterol or fat, it can help us lose excess weight, or maintain our weight. Drinking water and staying fully hydrated can increase our metabolic rate.

The best indicator that we are drinking enough water is from our bathroom trips. If urine comes out pale yellow to clear, we're okay. But a dark yellow color is a sign our body is dehydrated and needs water.

And please, make it a priority to drink safe water. Never take for granted that clean water flows from the faucet. Chlorine is added to most drinking water supplies. And contaminated water can indeed cause health problems.

Consuming adequate amounts of water each day can help to maintain good health and a strong immune system. Don't be foolish . . . Drink it!


Peace I leave with you . . .

PERFECT PEACE

No Justice . . . No Peace; No Justice . . . No Peace

How many times have we heard those flaming words? And how many times have we stood in agreement and voiced a booming, "Yeah?"

Even now, when being subjected to certain situations in life, we can still hear those words rumbling in our ears, right? Especially when we allow ourselves to focus too intently on issues we consider injustice.

Justice is, first and foremost, based upon perception. Inasmuch as "the quality of fairness" is a studious definition, it is not the pinnacle of justice. How we perceive things is how we arrive at our point of justice. Plain and simple, focus is key.

The story is often related of a couple in bed. When first married, the husband lovingly invited the wife to "put your little tootsies over here next to mine and keep them warm." A few years later, when their marital bliss was long gone, the husband angrily protested, "Keep your cold feet on your side of the bed and off of mine!" (Get the picture?)

One of the crucial attributes associated with stress is our focus. The way we look at issues, undoubtedly, determines the way we feel about them. Negative focus foretells negative actions, which naturally ignites our stresses and disrupts our peace.

True peace is readily available in the the Lord. God's Word assures us that "Thou {God} will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee . . . (Isaiah 26:3 KJV)"

Granted, that's easier said than done, considering the many adversities we face. But, despite the difficulty, imagine all we're likely to gain.

If determined to put our stress in check, we must more so determine to seek the grace of God and keep our focus on Him.

Peace I leave with you . . .