YES to GOD study: Chapter 4

OH, don't you just love our

I'm so glad you are here.

Last night the tooth fairy found her way to our home much to Alivia's pleasure this morning after lifting up her pillow. Last night she was supposed to be getting ready to go to bed when she stepped out of the bathroom with her arms covered with soap with a dilemma. "Mom! I was washing my tooth and it just fell down the drain!"

Super Mom to the rescue answers, "Oh, it's okay just write the tooth fairy a quick note of explanation; she'll still honor that."

Worried toothless girl looks relieved as she smiles~"Okay mom".

Mean Bedtime Patrol Guy interferes with plan: "Uh, no. It's bedtime. Brush your teeth and get your behind in bed."

Alivia's cheeks are instantly covered with falling tears.

Super Mom steps in: "Oh, Gene it will only take a minute."

MBPG doesn't even put up a fight and retreats back to bedroom to watch Monday Night Football.

Alivia quickly brushes her teeth and writes her note splashed with as many hearts and smiley faces that one minute of time would allow her to draw.

Note left on dresser for Tooth Fairy to see and after prayer Super Mom is instructed to hurry up and go to sleep because the Tooth Fairy will not visit a house with lights on.

Super Mom leaves and goes on coin hunt.

97 cents later...a big deduction from the last lost tooth takes teenage son up on his offer to help write a note back to hopeful toothless girl.

Instead of blaming the cut in coins from the last tooth on the economy he blames it on the fact that she has had a cavity before and tells her if she brushes for 2 minutes and flosses faithfully then maybe the next lost tooth will be better rewarded.

Uh no, says Super Mom and rewrites the note.

"Dear Alivia,

Thank you for your note.

I checked your mouth and did see the empty space, but next time if you don't leave me a tooth I will have to pull one out with my pliers, for I have to return with proof.

Have fun buying gum balls. Share with your mom, she's really super.

Love,

The Tooth Fairy"

Aaron thought the threat of pulling a tooth was sick, but she thought it was funny this morning as she reassured me that "Don't worry, she is just joking Mom". And bless her heart, there was no complaints that she was jipped. You think I could have found 3 cents to make it an even dollar, but I was tired and knew that out of all 3 of my children she is the one that would let the Tooth Fairy's cheapness go unmentioned leaving Super Mom/Tooth Fairy with no after-guilt.

Okay...let's begin our discussion of Lisa Whittle's awesome book,

"Behind Those Eyes".

CHAPTER 4: Ms. Happiness

Remember, anything in blue is a quote from the book.

This chapter was bittersweet for me and each page turned cut a little deeper into my heart.

We desire to be happy so much that we are willing to do most anything to gain it.

I'm not 100 percent convinced that our standards for happiness are really all that high most of the time.

Amen, sista!

Two weeks ago our son attended another school's homecoming dance with two of his friends. Three girls that they didn't even know approached them and offered to do oral stuff to them. The guys told them no (thank You Jesus), but I can't help but feel so sad for these girls. What they think will bring them popularity which at their age brings happiness, they are willing to sacrifice everything for nothing. What those girls don't know that what they are offering will only bring them bad reputations, diseases and later much regret, but never happiness.

A lot of things can make us feel happy for a time. But a lot of things can also let us down almost as quickly as they perked us up.

The aftermath of regret is almost overbearing when we chase down the wrong things. It's like a happiness sugar high, when it wears off, you just crash.

I loved how Lisa talked about how our natural tendency is to look for the source of things to satisfy our curiosity and shared the story of the girl clipping her nails in church.

Ms. Happiness is the outward personification of a jovial girl, even though she is still searching for its inward source. Though able to act happy, since she has never truly found the root of happiness, she is forced to continue looking for it in places it will likely never happen.

Oh, how many of us have been on this treasure hunt with the wrong map?

Then she shared with us Ms. Happiness' tactics:

1.) You can make yourself happy

2.) Someone you love can make you happy

3.) Something you have or do can make you happy

Yuck. This would be the part of the chapter that I wanted to close the book, shut the blog down and tell Lisa sorry, can't finish the study with you girl, you got too real for me, but insted I read on.

One of the most painful times in my marriage was years ago when I discovered the lie of the second tactic. Thankfully, God prepared my husband's heart as the confession of my unfaithfulness was met with grace, love and forgiveness that only can be given through God.

Seeking an outside source to make us happy will never do the trick in the long term.

Finding happiness from a relationship with another will make you happy until it doesn't.

I loved what she wrote there.

The visual that came to my mind when I read that is that it's like dancing.

Picture being on the dance floor being whisked around by the one that you think will bring you the happiness you're convinced you deserve. The faster he spins you the happier you are. Then the song comes to an end and the deejay shuts down his portable music box. And there you are. Face to face with the enemy disguised as your happy dance partner. No music, no glitz, just the reality that even this can't fulfill what only God can.

Suddenly, dancing with the enemy has lost its appeal and you are back to being unhappy again.

If only I had read, memorized and lived what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes before making the choice to break my vows.

He encouraged us to not forget about our Creator.

To honor Him.

To fear Him.

To obey Him.

The biggest sorrow I have is that I let God down. Time spent foolishly left me with scars of the enemy's threat that I allowed to become real to kill, steal and destroy.

Take this as a warning for anyone who is even thinking of stepping outside your marriage: It is not worth what you will lose.

Giving yourself away is no different from the 3 girls proposing oral sex to my son and his friends at the homecoming dance. Those girls were willing to give away everything for nothing and if you step outside of your marriage you are joining these girls on the dance floor of death. Be wise my sweet friend. Your "happiness" is not worth it. Trust me and let Christ captivate your thoughts because every seeking of happiness begins with your thought life.

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea."

~C.S. Lewis~

I once heard Beth Moore tell a story of when she was on a walk and came up on some ducklings playing in a mud puddle. Just over the hill was a beautiful pond. Her point was how often we play in a mud-filled puddle instead of the beautiful clear water of the pond God has for us.

The time is now to stop selling ourselves short ladies and let Ms. Happiness take hold of God's hand and find that He is inside Source of any truly happy person.

The Bible doesn't have a much to say about happiness, but it has lots to say about joy.

Miss Lisa closed out our chapter with nothing but the truth...

Happiness is not the holy grail. Real joy is where it's really at. True joy comes from within when we are operating in our life in the way that pleases God. And that's not by faking people out with our facade of happiness but, rather, being filled up with joy by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ask yourself today...do I have real joy?

If not, what are you pursuing?

If it's not Christ, then run sister.

Run to Him and let Him catch you.

Lisa encouraged us to memorize one of the verses on pages 72-73, here is the one I chose...

Psalm 16:11

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

There is nothing the world has to offer that has that promise attached to it.

Nothing with eternal pleasures and joy.

Seek Him and see for yourself.

He's one chase you'll never regret.

Sign up under Mr. Linky to share your insights on this chapter.

Next week in chapter 5 we'll meet Ms. Spirituality.

~Many Blessings~