Happiness Through Self-Expression

     Don't you feel at times that what you say and do does not really matter at all? It seems to me that our world tells us that the winners get all the glory and the rest of us get the sorrow of not being the winner. When we do something for our own enjoyment whether it is sports, art, music or some kind of hobby there seems to be somebody there to criticize us. They tell us that what we do just doesn't measure up to a professional standard. They make us feel like we should not be wasting our time if what we do does not make us money or earn us professional recognition. In their mind, we will never be a winner so we should just quit.
     There are so many people who want to give us their opinion whether or not we want them to. Can we not just do things that we enjoy and love without the fear of not being good enough? In a contest, there is only one winner however if we are just having fun why should we worry about winning? Can we not just set back and relax and enjoy the things that we do without having any pressure or anxiety of not reaching somebody else's expectations?
     In a contest there are winners but even if you lose and do your best and love what you do, can you really call yourself a loser? You are doing something that you love and in my eyes that makes you a winner. Many people do not even try.
     If what we do inspires us and we can express those emotions through our activity, does that not make us feel happy? I know to do something that brings me happiness makes me feel like a winner.
    All of us do need an outlet of some kind, a way to express yourself to the world. Whether or not we get encouragement, we should continue to do things that we love. We can let the activity that we do be our self-expression. Even without saying a word, we can show the world how we feel inside. We do not have to achieve greatness in order to enjoy that activity. Love what you do and be happy and be thankful and you will feel like a winner everyday.

Ecclesiastes 5:18 "Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot."     

Love, More than a Feeling

     Is love more than a feeling? I believe it is. Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," I doubt most of us would have warm feelings toward those who are hurting us in some way. Matthew 18:21,22 "Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and forgive him? As many as seven times?" ²²Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times." These verses show me that my love should have patience, endurance and not to give in to anger rather than just having a feeling of affection.
     Jesus said to his apostles in John 14:21 "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." He also said to them in John 15:12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Jesus is telling us to love him and one another by our actions. What are the actions of love? 1Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth ⁷Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." As we can see love goes beyond our feelings for each other. Love is the way we should be acting towards each other and not just the way we feel towards each other. God wants us to be kind and compassionate whether or not we feel like it.
     Jesus said in Luke 6:27,28 "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." Jesus wants us to be like his Father who shows love to everyone. Matthew 5:45 "so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." We must show our love by doing what is right towards everyone if we want God's approval. We cannot wait until we get a loving feeling to show our love. In every situation, we must ask ourselves, what would Jesus do? He would act with his love and do the right thing every time.
     The apostle Paul encourages us to keep doing good. Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."