Good Morning and thanks for the warm welcome back. Kathy put together a wonderful trip. This has been in the plans for 2 years. I highly recommend Ireland. I will post what we did and what we learned on the website. And now for today’s question & thought. This little book was given to me as a gift many years ago and there is much wisdom in it. It is about C.S. Lewis and there is a chapter that I’ve read often. It’s about ‘Happiness.’ Here goes…….

1. Question – Have you ever come to the conclusion that your own happiness is really not what you should be seeking after all?

2. Thought – Jack had realized by late in 1961 that he was coming to the end of his eventful and productive life. He wasn’t an old man, but he felt like an old man…………

Now, once again loaded with responsibilities – two orphaned teenage boys, an elderly alcoholic brother, and a household – bereaved and sorrowing, ill and tired, Jack discovered one of the greatest secrets of life: that no matter what is actually happening around you, you can still be content if you hand your life over entirely to Christ. Jack settled into a contentment that is hard to understand. He had to retire from Cambridge University. He was no longer able to go for long walks he had delighted in. He was not allowed to drink wine or beer, not allowed to eat anything other than a strict diet prescribed by his doctors. All the pleasures of his life had been taken away from him as also had been the love of his life, and yet he was content. He was in that rare state in which his physical disabilities and his emotional distresses no longer affected his happiness or lack of it. He had finally become able to make God the center of his life and to regard himself as merely a bit player in the drama. He was not exactly happy; he had merely come to the conclusion that his happiness was not what he should be  seeking at all. In fact it was completely irrelevant, and therefore he was content to be without it. (Jack’s Life by Douglas Gresham)

Mark

AND:Welcome home! Yes, the only wisdom I have worthy of talking about is God’s wisdom. In fact, the only true wisdom there is comes from Him. I have prayed for wisdom since in my 20’s because it doesn’t matter how much we know unless we know how to use it…

AND:And speaking of wisdom from a little book.This was in my course work for the Senior NCO Academy.

Members of the American military profession swear to support and defend the
Constitution of the United States–not a leader, not a people, not a
government, nor a territory.  That solemn oath ties military service directly
to the founding document of the Nation.
[Army Field Manual 1, The Army, June 2005, 1-10 thru 1-14.]

That is why the “support and defend” phrase comes BEFORE the “I will obey the
orders” phrase.

AND:Glad to hear that you and Kathy travelled to Ireland!  My sister lives there.  She lives near a little town called Skibbereen in County Cork (southern tip of Ireland).  She actually lives out on a point called Turk Head about thirty minutes from Skibbereen.  She looks out her windows and sees the sea crashing against the rocks on one side of her house and on the otherside, it’s rolling, green pasture.We have visited her several times and love that country.  The pubs, the people, the food…it’s a great place!  I would enjoy hearing about what you all saw and liked!

AND:That is one place I would love to go see..Never been there!

AND:Honestly, my life is enriched simply reviewing your daily emails.  Thank you for sharing!