Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday July 27, 2009

In my work with prisoners I often teach a technique that is near wonder working in any setting.

The regular readers of this letter are familiar with the term, "Bloom where you are planted." A saint in our church, Frances Bishop, sent the statement to me years ago in a time when blooming where I was planted was the only option on the table for me.

Leo Tolstoy stated it with the expected passion of Russian writers in his "Wise thoughts for Every Day."

"If you are not happy with your life, you can change it in two ways: either improve the conditions in which you live, or improve your inner spiritual state. The first is not always possible, the second is."

Over the last 47 years while serving as preacher/pastor I have engaged in observing the passing scene. I am amazed at the vast number of souls staggering through life, from one messy circumstance to another, are in reality attempting to find "happiness" in a new surroundings, a new "soul mate" whatever that is, and the multitudes who trick themselves into thinking, "I need a new preacher" would if laid end to end around the Equator, drown.

It is observable that whatever the situation you blame for your unhappiness, there are others who live in near identical ones who are happy. Could it be that the old saw is really true; happiness is where you find it? Another old saw is most definitely true and it is time we find our way back to its truth and apply this truth:

"Happiness is an inside job."

Finding happiness on the inside is more taxing than moving into a home like those displayed in Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous, but the rewards are more lasting and certainly more flexible as life changes as it always does.

A biblical character famous for his material possessions and wisdom finally grasped a truth that had eluded him in spite of his famous wisdom. Solomon wrote:

Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2009 Use with credit.

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