There used to be a lot of pressure on me to be all that I could
be and at relative get togethers it was everyone bragging about what their children were doing to be successful.
Being the firstborn of all the children, I felt the pressure
to lead the rat race.
I didn't deliver and instead got the chance to see what real success
was.
Joining the Navy and becoming a Christian became a turning
point in my life.
My mom later came to a better conclusion of what success was
really about.
After telling her what my wife and I are involved in she would
then say that if we were happy then we were successful.
We can say that we are truly successful because we are happy.
In the beatitudes Jesus tells us what we can do or be to be happy.
Here it is:
"Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom
of heaven belongs to them! 4 "Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them! 5 "Happy are
those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised! 6 "Happy are those whose greatest desire is
to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully! 7 "Happy are those who are merciful to others; God
will be merciful to them! 8 "Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God! 9 "Happy are those
who work for peace; God will call them his children! 10 "Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what
God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! 11 "Happy are you when people insult you and persecute
you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy and glad, for a
great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted. (Matthew 5)
BJ
Max
