Read the Book!

As I was sitting here doing some work on the computer last night, my oldest son, Reese, was watching TV behind me. Every now and then I had to get up and get something and when I came back, I'd look at him and say, 'You ok?' He'd grunt a 'yeah', or maybe a 'mm' in his best caveman imitation. I chalked it up to being bored and 16, or tired, and went on with my computer life. Now, granted, he'd been somewhat 'awake' the previous 48-72 hours. We just had our 'D-Now' weekend (Discipleship Now, for those not in on church lingo!), and he and about 30 other mid to high-schoolers had spent a lot of time together at the meeting place and at host homes. Learning more about God can really tire you out. (So can staying up till 2 or 3 in the morning and having to get up at 8, but surely THAT wasn't an issue!) He had also spent two nights with a good friend and had to get up early the second morning in order to be brought home. So knowing all of THAT didn't make me too concerned about his attitude or demeanor.THEN his phone rang. I had an idea who it was and by the tone of his voice when he said a playful 'Hellooooo', I could tell I was right. The girl! His woman! His precious flower! The light of his life! Madeline was calling! Where there were weeds there were now dandelions! Where there was gray skies there was now the most wonderful blue! He had traded ashes for beauty, sorrow for joy! He had a reason for living! The most important person in this world was now available for him to talk to, spend (phone) time with! Just hearing her voice had raised his spirits exponentially......which reminded me of something...that EXACT thing happens to me many times. I'm depressed about work, or money, or my parenting, or my spousing (just coined that...use it with my blessings!), or my car, or I'm just down on myself for past failures, or...well, you get the picture. And from conversations I've had with a few of you I know I'm not alone! You're feeling really down for whatever reason. Nothing will ever be right again and surely this is how the WHOLE rest of your life will be!Here's something else I was reminded of...God 'calls' us as well! When we hear from Him it's like the sun has broken out of the clouds and an incredible warmth and pleasant feeling has overtaken our being! We are smiling again! We are happy again! We, like my son, have a reason for living!But God is always there to call us or be called. Unlike Madeline who couldn't talk till she got off work, God can talk to us at anytime. And we get instant gratification just by opening the Book!The bible says in Jeremiah 15:16 'Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart!' and Psalm 119:105 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path'!Promises galore! Confidence restored! Spirits will soar! It won't be a bore (Ok, I'm stopping, I'm stopping!).People! Read the word! Get excited and happy again! MARK! Read the bible! Get excited and happy again! (Don't for a SECOND think I'm not talking to myself when I write these little bits! I need this too!) (No extra comment from Noelle about the 'talking to myself' part, please!)God loves us! He's always there for us! Just open the book! Laughing and enjoying the journey,Mark