The Hill of Love ~

Good evening~ I feel that you and I are making this long journey together through the valleys and up the hills of life. This study takes us up the Hill of Love, a hill which has many challenges even though we may assume it's an easy one. As always, we take a deep breath as we make the plunge into a deeper spiritual life.

You may be surprised if I ask you, "What is the greatest gift?" And you already know that the answer is love. In one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible that question is answered. And even though you've heard it many times, I wouldn't let any conversation about love go without mentioning it. It's in 1 Corinthians 13, which says:

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
~

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails....And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 

Those words speak a definite conclusion as to what is the greatest gift. This is such an important subject because I'm not sure there is much true love in the world today. And without going into all the reasons why I feel that way, I'll simply say that love has to be practiced and practiced again. It isn't always easy to show love or to give love, but doesn't it seem to you that it is--at the very least--a requirement for following Christ? And in an effort to give us another look at the way love behaves, it may help us to look at some scriptures on love. 

                                      

First, let's look at some thoughts about God's love for man. Ron has something to say about this: "God has demonstrated His love for us. What a hill to look up to as we walk through the valleys of life! How uplifting to our spirits! Some things about which we are concerned become so trivial when compared to what God has given for us. Often we must meet someone with greater problems than our own before we appreciate the blessings we have, e.g., the man who had only one hand met a man who had no legs." This graphic mental picture reminds us to count our blessings every day. And Ron has also been with people in Russia, South America and Mosambique who have few choices in food, or places to live, or ways to stay warm. We are truly blessed!  

Then looking at Ephesians 3, beginning with verse 17, it says: "...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Now what exactly does all that mean to us? Width refers to the fact that God is available to everyone who believes in Him. Length refers to how far God would go for our sakes: to the extent of giving His only begotten Son. Depth refers to the fact that our very souls are pulled out of hell so that we will not perish. And height refers to how high we may rise: we will be exalted to heaven's glory and to eternal life. Breathtaking in its simplicity and profound in it's message!

Now let's look at Jesus' love for man. Besides the verses in Ephesians we just looked at, which include comprehension of the love of Christ, we can look at John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." And that's what Christ did for us.  He gave the ultimate gift of Himself! Matthew 27:35 tells us: "Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: 'They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots'." Jesus died for you and He died for me. Not in the lap of luxury or convenience, but among criminals and thieves. Christ paid for our sins. What are we willing to do for Him? Are we "looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith"? It was Jesus "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." While Jesus was on earth, He endured poverty, humiliation, insults and pain so unjustly. All of this, He did for us because of His love for us. And now that He is in heaven, we can look up to Him for salvation.

Now we've looked at the love that God and Jesus have for man. What is involved in showing our love for God and Jesus? We take for granted that our inward man must love God completely. How many times have you read these words: "Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Everyone who is a child of God must embrace its meaning and live by it.

And that's not quite all we need to be doing to show our love. 1 John 1:3 says that we should have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Later, in verse 6, he says, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." So, basically, it's sharing our lives with the Holy Ones. And not only do we have fellowship with God and Jesus, but we have love for others. Later on in 1 John, it says: "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." Almost everyone I know believes it's different for them...God won't notice that they don't get along with others--perhaps feeling self-righteously that God will understand because it is them. Do they have a right to feel the way they do? Haven't they been wronged and mistreated? We should all give more thought to our relationships.

Because this study is getting too long, I'm going to stop and say more later--perhaps giving a more complete idea about how we can more easily show our love for God and Jesus, as well as other people. Climbing the Hill of Love sounds easy and familiar to us because we hear the word love so often, but practicing true love is harder when we look at it from a deeper context. More on this another time.

Have a wonderful day!

Blessings...Mimi

The Hill of Faith: Trusting in Jesus ~

Hello again~ We've looked at scripture about having faith in God, and I mentioned having faith in Jesus, but in this lesson, I want to wrap up our thoughts about climbing the Hill of Faith by looking at a few scriptures which specify faith in Christ. Jesus, as the promised Messiah, qualifies as the perfect object for our faith. And there are wonderful connections to be made between the Messiah and the psalmist David.  In Romans 15:12, that tie is given to us in poetic form: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope." David was the son of Jesse, whose lineage runs straight through to Jesus the Christ.

What does this mean to us? It means David foreshadowed Jesus the Messiah. As I said in a blog I wrote over a year ago, the magnitude of his life is hard to grasp. No king before or after him loved God as much. He was a man after God's own heart. And when he failed to please God and sinned, he was humble and contrite, begging forgiveness. But David was not only a king, a warrior and a ruler, he was also a prophet. In II Samuel 22:23, as David was about to die, he spoke these words: "The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue." The importance of David and his forshadowing of Christ is seen in these 10 facts about his prophecies.

1. David's prophecies are Messianic.
2. David's prophecies refer to the suffering of Christ.
3. David's prophecies refer to the persecution of Christ.
4. David's prophecies refer to the triumphant deliverance of Christ.
5. David's prophecies refer to the hereditary rights given Jesus by the Father.
6. David's prophecies were written 1,000 years before Christ, but many make reference to and foreshadow Him.
7. David was a king after God's own heart; his qualities are of the Messiah.
8. Two facts that foreshadow Christ: David & Christ both born in Bethlehem; David's shepherd life points to Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
9. Both David and Christ were betrayed by friends and had to make a sad passage.
10. The Davidic Psalms are clearly typical of the future Messiah, of which David was a type.

As I said, David's last words acknowledge that he was a prophet. Many of the 100 direct references to Jesus in Messianic passages of the Psalms are quoted in the New Testament. They are used to explain the character and message of Jesus as Messiah and refer to all of the above. When we think of David, we should think of him as a man after God's own heart, and a type of the Messiah. Does it create faith and trust in your heart when you hear such amazing details as these? It does for me!

                                 
And it doesn't stop there. John 20:30-31 gives us the reason the book of John was written: "...but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." Why did Christ come? We would all answer that question by saying that Christ had to come and die on the cross so that we could have forgiveness of our sins. And, as I've gotten older, I have begun to realize that it isn't quite as easy to have the kind of faith and trust we need as I once thought. When you get down to the truth that is presented in the New Testament, we have been trained to accept it from our youth. But sometimes I find that if it isn't getting stronger, with a deeper understanding, then we're missing the boat. So I'll suggest that maybe we all need to scrutinize our beliefs from time to time. If a Muslim jehadist told you to reject Jesus or have your head cut off, what would you do? What would you say? We haven't been persecuted for our beliefs very much--maybe an argument with an opposing brother or neighbor. It might do us some good to challenge our faith and see whether we're trusting in Jesus.   

In John 8:22-24, there is a revealing sequence. Jesus is misunderstood by the Jewish leaders. So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'? And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." In my simplified view of these words, it's relevant for us to grasp the message that the fatal, unforgivable sin is rejecting Christ. The Messiah had finally come, but was mostly rejected by the Jews. I say mostly because some of the Jews accepted Him--even some of the priests, who helped to teach and preach the gospel with all their wisdom and understanding. Should we do less?

                                                                                                      

And so we can look at the One who gives us strength. One of my favorite lines in the Bible is the first part of Jeremiah 20:11, which says: "But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior...." When I come home alone from my daughter's, and it's late and dark outside, those words go through my mind over and over. I have to trust that God is with me or I would be too fearful to leave the house. And in that same vein,  2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 says,  "But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ." This time the protection is from Satan and his angels, but we can rest in this guardian presence. When we are following Christ, trusting in His ability to lead us, guide us, and guard our hearts and minds, then our lives will be what God planned for us from the beginning of Creation!

                                                                                                           

And because I love the parable of the mustard seed, I'll remind you once more that: "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." If you believe this statement, you are climbing the Hill of Faith!

Blessings...Mimi   

The Hill of Faith ~

If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  Matthew 17:20

Hello everyone! This picture is appropriate because these are mustard trees growing below a hill, representing both of  my thoughts today. Friday always feels good to me, and today is especially good because my brother Ron has returned from Russia. I'm thankful to God and want to hear about his trip. As I've said, I'm using Ron's material to generate these blogs, but I'm writing them myself.

                                                                                                                     

And it's also a good Friday because we're moving out of the valleys and climbing into the hills of the Christian life. Today you and I will begin climbing the Hill of Faith together, and there will be other hills which will lead us toward a victorious life.  Here, I want to quote what Ron says about the Hill of Faith: "Man is confronted with many problems and difficulties in this life: 'Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue.' (Job 14:1-2) Does this seem to be pessimistic? Man faces valleys in life which are not pleasant: discouragement, depression, persecutions and trials, and death, etc. But let us remember that God has promised a time when there will be no tears or sorrows--'There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.' Hebrews 4:9 says that life on this earth is brief (of few days)."
       

And he continues: "Therefore, we should walk wisely through the valley of decision. We are able to do this by lifting up our eyes to the hills and receiving the help which the Lord provided for us. WE MUST TRUST IN HIM AND TRUST HIM!

Job 15:11 asks, "Are the consolations of God too small for you?"

And, simplified, Job 11:13-20 says:

1. Prepare your heart~
2. Stretch out your hands toward Him~                                                      
3. Then you could lift up your face without spot~
4. You could be steadfast, and not fear~
5. You would be secure~
6. Because there is hope!                                                                 

No wonder we're ready to climb out of the valleys and into the hills! But just to remind us of our inclinations, let's look at where we place our trust and confidence. Even though we may not realize it, we often put our trust in the things in and of the world. This is something we should all consider carefully, because we tend to believe that we are above this kind of behavior.

1. Trusting in SELF.  Proverbs 28:26 says that "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered." And in Luke 18:9-14, Jesus uses the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector to show what attitude we should have. Listen to this: "Also He spoke to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess." And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Have you actually given some thought as to your arrogance or humilty toward your spiritual life? We should all take time to examine our deeper concepts and beliefs. No one is fooled but you if you're wrong.
2. Trusting in OTHERS. Sometimes it's easier for us to trust in others rather than in God. Remember what Paul says in Acts 20: 28-31--that after he was gone, savage wolves would come in, not sparing the flock? And he warned that men would rise up and teach perverse things that would draw away the disciples of Christ. So his advice is to watch for these false teachers. See also Colossians 2:18-23 and 2 Peter 2:1-3. And remember that false teachers  might be reaching you on a television screen. Sometimes in this chaotic world, we turn to those who sooth our anxiety. But be careful about giving them your heart and mind without seeing their true position. Be mindful that they may be trying to draw you away.  
3. Trusting in IDOLS/FALSE GODS. And I'm sure you remember Elijah when he came to all the people and said: "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him. But the people answered him not a word." And then the contest between God and Baal was carried out, so that all the people knew that the Lord was God. And as to the futility of false gods, read Psalm 115:2-8. False gods or idols can be found in surprising places. And they don't necessarily have the look that we expect. Money, position, fame, sports, and even food  or entertainment can become something we worship. Watch your interests!
4. Trusting in RICHES: The Proverbs always provide you with wisdom, and in 11:28, it says: "He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, but trouble will come to him who seeks evil." And looking in 1 Timothy 6:17, there are some instructions to the rich: "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." And in Luke 12:16-21 is the parable of the rich fool who saw that his barns weren't big enough, and so he determined to build bigger barns. What does he say to himself? He says: "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." But God said to him: "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" And  then you can see that "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  Again, you reach the end of the point and find that it's up to you...your choice to serve God or yourself.

I've given you enough to think about today. Next, as we climb the Hill of Faith, there are some passages about trusting in God and in Jesus Christ. It's where faith the size of a mustard seed comes in. It doesn't have to be all that big to become something that grows and matures into a faith that influences the world. What you might think about is how your faith affects you, your life, your family, and your friends. Is it deep enough to change your attitudes, your decisions, and your way of life? 

Blessings...Mimi         

The Proper Daily Attitude~

It's still very cold here, but has warmed up enough so that we don't have to worry so much about our pipes freezing and losing our heat source. I'm very thankful for that today too. I'm going to write a short lesson about something we can do every day to maintain the right attitude. I think we forget sometimes that this is the whole duty of man.

And now we ARE getting closer to the heart of what you and I can do to have the right attitude. Not in a general sense, but you and I in particular on a daily basis. You'll probably remember what was said in Matthew after the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees. They got together and one of them--a lawyer--asked Him a question to test Him: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"

And what did Jesus reply? He said: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." And He told them that this was the first and great commandment, and that the second was very much like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." In other words, that covers the whole Old Testament! What do you think of that? Don't you agree that is the most significant statement Jesus could have made?

And if we go to I John 5:3, he gives us the same instruction: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world." So there you have it in black and white--or in this case blue: Love God and love your neighbor. You may have to practice, but since it's the most important thing you can do, just practice! And John goes on to say that our faith in Jesus--faith that He is the Son of God--is the victory that overcomes the world! God has given us His Son and so many other spiritual and physical blessings. Ask yourself, what is your attitude toward Him? Do you show that you love Him by keeping His commandments?

Have a wonderful Sunday!
Blessings...Mimi

More on the Proper Attitude for Your Life ~

There's snow on the ground and it's still snowing! On days like this, I want to sit and read or write all day--something I do often in any case. But, for now, I want to give you the lessons by Ron Roark on Attitudes. If you want to shift your life into a room where sunlight lives, learn from the good Book itself! There are so many examples of the proper attitudes for saints. Remember: beginning with the right attitude is important; keeping the right attitude is paramount!   

And what attitude did the people have when Peter was preaching on Pentecost? He was testifying and exhorting the people, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." What happened? "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." The people listening to Peter had the proper attitude and they were saved. {Acts 2:41}

On the other hand, Paul reasoned with Felix, the Roman governor, "about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come." Felix was afraid and said, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you." Felix knew that he was hearing the truth, but he didn't have the proper attitude about it, so he sent Paul away. Do you close your ears to the truth?
{Acts 24:25}                                              

And the same thing happened with Agrippa, another Roman governor. When he heard Paul's teaching, what was his attitude?  He said, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." But was that the right attitude? "Almost" amounted to "no." {Acts 26:28} 

And what about the leaders of the day--the Pharisees and lawyers? Luke tells us what happened when they heard the preaching of John the Baptist: "But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him." If any group would logically have the proper attitude, it should have been the Pharisees and lawyers, because they were the teachers and  leaders. They believed in a Messiah. But they rejected the truth because of their wrong attitude. {Luke 7:30}

And none of us would leave out Abraham when looking at the right and proper attitude, which was evident when he followed God "by faith." You may remember that "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." Also, by faith Abraham dwelt in the land of promise, and by faith Abraham offered up his only begotten son, whom Sarah conceived by faith. Do we have enough belief to live our lives "by faith"? {Hebrews 11:8}

These are good examples of those who showed their attitudes by their actions. You too are leaving an example which is either a right one or a wrong one. Who is following your example? Where will your example be recorded? Give some thought to your own life and what it means to have the proper attitude--not only for yourself, but also for the sake of those who look to you as an example. 

Blessings...Mimi 

The Proper Attitude for Your Life ~

Just to remind you,  I'm sharing the lessons on Attitudes written by Ron Roark. And I'm sure you've anticipated the Beatitudes as a part of these lessons. Picture the multitudes as they listened to Jesus speaking these words, and imagine them  as they listened in amazement to a message they'd never heard before, nor ever expected to hear. It doesn't really matter to us today where the sermon took place, except that we love the idea of following Jesus' footsteps as He made His earthly sojourn.

The emphasis here is that we have the Sermon on the Mount, and we want to embrace its message. We can study it in depth later. For now,  it's helpful to know that the word "beatitude" means supreme, utmost bliss and happiness. I'm giving you the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:3-12, so that you can read them slowly for yourself, and realize that when Jesus talked about the kinds of people who are happy and blessed, He was also talking about YOU! The Beatitudes portray the proper attitude for Christians!

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.                                                                                            

In the Beatitudes, you have the proper attitude, along with its reward. Now let's look at another example of the proper attitude in Mark 12:34, when Jesus goes to the temple and is asked which commandment is first. Jesus told the Scribes that the first commandment was to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second was to love your neighbor as yourself. One of the Scribes was impressed with Jesus' answer and told Him so. And then the Scribe said that loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and loving one's neighbor as oneself is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. This wise answer brought this reply from Jesus: "You are not far from the kingdom of God." The Scribe's attitude is the proper one. 

And we can also find the proper attitude for saints. When reading a text like this, I remember C. S. Lewis' observation that Christianity is both hard and easy. You may agree after reading Philippians 1:4-9.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.

And while I'm sure you're daily rejoicing in the Lord, how's your gentleness holding up? And with anxiety so rampant these days, what happens when you're under stress? Because even though you know that the antedote is prayer and thanksgiving, asking God for what you want and need, you can lose your focus on God's part in your life. If you think about it, you'll remember that when you do your part, God gives you peace, which keeps watch over your heart and mind. Easy peasy? No, I'm not saying it's easy. But it is possible to do your best every day, and by doing your best every day, to find success when you least expect it. 

There is so much to say about the proper attitude, but I'm going to stop for now and continue another day. It's so important for us to understand the way our attitudes can create or destroy the good life we crave. Please give this message some thought, and see if you can find the proper attitude for yourself. And have a wonderful Sunday!

Blessings...Mimi

  

Attitudes for Your Life ~

I will lift up my eyes to the hills-
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth. 
 Psalm 121:1-2

I've decided to continue my Bible blog at this time because my brother, Ron Roark, has written a set of Bible lessons on Attitudes. In a world that allows us to get by with a selfish attitude, this has become a very important subject. You'll be getting a combination of my thoughts along with Ron's teaching. I'll start by giving you a good definition of the word attitude, so that we can begin on the same page. Webster's dictionary gives this definition: attitude is the posture or position of a person showing, or meant to show, a mental state, emotion or mood. Or, attitude is the manner of acting, feeling or thinking that shows one's disposition, opinion, etc. What does having the right attitude mean to you?  I wonder if we're aware of how often a bad attitude ruins our day!

Consider these statements from the Bible:

• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...
• If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free...if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
• I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
• We give thanks to God always for you all, ... remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope....

How do these expressions of attitude make you feel? Are they attitudes you'd like to embrace? Why? We all know there are attitudes we like when we're on the receiving end, but what about our own attitudes? In this study, we'll look at circumstances that happen in our lives, and then see what attitude God wants us to have. That's the secret of an abundant, meaningful, useful and happy life--having the proper attitude toward God and our circumstances.

When you're making a decision or wondering what to do, you may deal with ignorance, false information, inexperience and emotions, causing you to make poor choices. If you want to make good choices, you'll need truthful information, knowledge, experience and reason. So, having the right attitude can make all the difference to your happiness. It can determine how many hills and valleys you have in your life--whether good times or bad, happiness or sorrow, highs or lows.

                                                                                                       

Remember that an attitude is a pattern of thought which is developed by repeated affirmations to the subconscious. So having the proper attitude is essential to having a happy life. And you'll also remember that being unhappy involves being upset, anxious, depressed and irritable. The choice is yours, and you will make a choice whether you realize it or not!  

Tomorrow we'll look at the Proper Attitude, and then we'll begin to look at the valleys of life before we start climbing up the hills. I hope you'll enjoy thinking about these biblical attitudes with me. 

Blessings...Mimi