When did life stop being fun?

Who said life had to be a grim marathon of frowns?

Do you remember when life was joyful? I think you can! I think you ARE happy as a clam!!

Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured.

My vocation is among the most serious of all professionals. As a minister of the gospel and a pastor of a church, the concerns I deal with are eternal in dimension. A week doesn’t pass without my hearing or dealing with life in the raw. Needs are enormous, endless and heartrending.

The most natural thing for me to do would be to allow all of that to rob me of my joy and to change me from a person who has always found humor in life into a stoic, frowning clergyman. No thanks!

Life is tough, there is no question. The issues we face are both serious and real. But they are not so intense, so all-important, so consuming that they sap joy from our being. Hopefully as a result of traveling through the pages of Paul’s letter to the Philippians you will gain a fresh perspective on how to view these harsh days.

As Flannery O’Connor said: “Only if we are secure in our beliefs can we see the comical side of the universe.”

For the next two months we will explore OUTRAGEOUS JOY!

August 6:    Philippians 1: 1-11 “Joyful Thanksgiving”
August 13:    Philippians 1: 12-30 “Laughing Through Life’s Dilemmas”
August 20:    Philippians 2: 1-11. “Hidden Secrets of a Happy Life”
August 27:    Philippians 2: 12-30 “Friends Make Life More Fun”
September 3:    Philippians 3: 1-11 Joy-filled Identity”
September 10:    Philippians 3: 12 – 4:1 “Strive For The Prize”
September 17:    Philippians 4: 2-9 “Rejoice and Have Peace”
September 24:    Philippians 4: 10-23 Don’t Forget To Have Fun As You Grow Up!”

Keep smiling!

See you in church!