Joy and those other things that never seem to make it in...

Ok, I'm totally obsessed with dot-dot-dots! ...
And for my Dad: You will never understand me when I think a guy is cute (or really really really cute!) because you are a guy and I am a girl. And Mom thought he was cute too. :)
About Joy:
Lego had said some stuff about joy and the difference between joy and happiness. Well, I just finished reading Philippians last week (and learning how to spell it finally!) which is like the last word on joy in the Bible! And I have the Extreme Teen Bible NKJV which has a little write-up before each book w/ what the book is about, etc. and the very night I read Lego's post I read this right afterwards all about joy and happiness! What a God thing isn't it? So, my Bible says it much better than me:
"If there is any word that describes this book, it's 'joy.' That's a pretty amazing fact since Paul wrote it from jail. But even though he was in jail, he shared his joy about everything from his life in Christ to his friends in Philippi.
There are several keys to being joyful. Paul seemed to understand each one of them. Paul could focus on his blessings even when he had chains on his hands and feet. Somehow he knew that life is more than the difficult moments.
...There's a big difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is what you feel when circumstances in your life go right. If you make good grades and get what you want for your birthday--those kinds of things make you happy. Because happiness is related to circumstances, it comes and goes with the good times in life.
Joy, on the other hand, is more than an emotion. It is a perspective, a way of looking at life. We have joy when we feel secure inside that, no matter how our circumstances might change, God is still in control. That's why Paul could write a letter about gratitude and joy in a yucky place like prison. He might not have been happy, but in the end he knew that God was in control of his life."
I also found my favorite verse in the Bible. Before I didn't really have one, then, as soon as I read it, I knew it was to be my favorite. "To live is Christ, to die is gain."
Then I thought: 'If I'm put here on earth to share God's love and eternal joy with the world, why shouldn't I be joyful? And if I die, I'm going to Heaven to share in God's joy forever! I have God's joy, something that no one can take away from me!'
And get this. I go to a Bible Study twice a month for girls, and the very day after I had gotten my Bible reading back on track (long story but I had been trying and failing to read every day, no desire before, now there is thank God!) I started in Philippians 1, then I went to Bible study and we read Philippians 2! What a God thing!!! So ever since I have actually wanted to read the Bible, and am trying to pursue God's joy and be joyful (if not always happy) every day of my life!
And I agree. Happiness today is like saying "I love you." It's too artificial. I think that's mainly because everyone tries to pretend that everything's ok, and be 'happy' all the time, but they're really seeking after God's joy, something that will last, that can't be taken away from them. And that's why we're here. To give it to them!
And I was thinking, if Paul was joyful (not happy, but joyful) in prison, do you thing Jesus was joyful on the cross? Like when he found it possible to forgive us, even after what we did?
And I could write a lot more about faith since I just finished Colossians yesterday and it's kind of a beginners book to faith. Which is extremely helpful to lost people like me :) That's what my testimony is about. Living your faith, not just talking about it. It's based on the verse James 2:19 - "You believe that there is one God. Good. Even the demons belive that - and tremble!"
Then it goes on to say that Faith without works is dead, and by works faith is made perfect. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
So we can't make it to Heaven on faith alone, or on works alone. They have to be together! But it's kind of scary, isn't it? To think about it that even demons believe in God. So if we only believe, we really aren't any better than demons! I got most of my inspiration for this from Peter Furler's (Newsboy's lead singer) testimony that he gave at Creation. It was so moving! He totally put into words the testimony that (for once) I couldn't write down what was inside of me. So, sorry, but I'm stealing it! It's a work in progress anyway. :)
Well, guess that's about it. Had a 4-H meeting tonight and made some changes about like leadership and meeting times, etc., but nothing important. So, after that meaty post (all stolen from other people, sorry, Pirate!) I'll bid you all goodnight!
Lay down my pride/my desires/my demise/I'm ready now to see it your way/'Cause I'm done, I'm through/knowin' you/now it's true/I'm kneeling at the cross of your grace.
Blessed be you name/on the road marked with suffering/though there's pain in the offering/blessed be you name
I've had both songs stuck in my head for the last day and a half! Oh, and I'm learning guitar(knew there was something else!)! I'm taking Beginner Guitar at co-op next trimester. So I thought I'd start early (I already knew a little) and I can play Blessed be the Name! I'm very happy because it's also in my range and it's only four chords so I can play and sing it at the same time!
Ok, that's really it now!
'Night!
Namarie,
Verya