SERIES: Don't Worry, Be Happy (2 of 5)
Worry About It or Work on It?

Since I live right next door to where I work, I get to go home for lunch, and most days I am able to watch an episode of my favorite sitcom from the early 90’s, Coach. On the front of this card is a picture from the show of assistant coach Luther Van Dam and his Basset Hound, Quincy. Quincy is in the wagon, being pulled by Luther, because he’s that lazy.
   
I thought about lazy Quincy as I was preparing a Sunday morning message on  worry. I was looking where Jesus said things like “Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.” In the midst of this teaching, Jesus gave some instruction to his followers about what to do instead of  worry. What he said to do is not always easy and does not always change the situation, but it got me to thinking...worry is really the lazy person’s choice when confronted with a situation. Whether something bad has already happened or something could possibly happen, we have two choices: WORRY about it or WORK on it. 
   
Worrying about something paralyzes us...we do nothing and accomplish nothing. Depending on the situation, “working on it” might be preparing for what could happen or persevering after something did happen. Both options are stressful, but worrying makes us a victim and working on it gives us something to do. Preparing or persevering seems better than being paralyzed to me.
   
I’m praying for you this week when you’re first reaction is to be paralyzed by worry, that you see how you can work to prepare before or persevere after the situation instead. There is no getting around challenges in life, but being paralyzed by worry never makes them better. In the coming weeks, I also want to remind you that we don’t have to go through these things alone: we have faith, family and friends to help us as we work on life’s challenges.
   
Lastly, if you are curious what Jesus’ cure for worry was, you can read it yourself here: http://bit.ly/NoToWorry  He asked a great question, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” 
   
Praying you worry less this week than last,
Pastor Rob 

Links to other posts in this series: Don't Worry, Be Happy- Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

SERIES: Don't Worry, Be Happy (1 of 5)
Choose Joy

Who doesn’t feel good listening to that 80’s song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy? There’s a lot to be said for living a life free of worry...because saying is easier than doing! This month, I’m praying for you and about the things that worry you (feel free to let me know if there is anything specific I can pray for). I want to share some thoughts I hope will encourage you along the way, too.
   
Have you heard the phrase thrown around, “choose joy”?  The implication is that joy is a choice not dependent on our changing circumstances, but on a conscious decision. I ran across this story on a blog, lisalenoard.com :
   
The phrase ‘choose joy’ used to turn my stomach. So trite. So fake. Just choose joy—it’s easy, right? No, it’s not easy, but I believe it’s possible.
   
A few years ago Steve and I traveled to Thailand to visit friends and meet artisans. We joined our friends, and some of their friends for dinner one evening. One of the girls in the group had just celebrated her 15th birthday.
“Wow, fifteen” I thought. “She’s only been in a Thailand for a couple years. What’s it like to be an American girl at fifteen, living in Thailand?” So I asked her.
   
“It’s been really hard,” She answered honestly. “I didn’t want to move. I miss my friends back in the United States. I don’t know the language and I’ve felt lonely and sad. But last week was my birthday. So I decided to be happy and not worry about all the hard things. I decided to enjoy the day. It was great! I felt so free. I laughed and had fun. It was the first time I felt happy since we moved here. The next morning, I woke up and asked myself, ‘Why not be happy again today?’ So I did. Since then, I’ve been enjoying Thailand. It’s beautiful here. I’m making friends. I like it.”
~ See original blog post here
   
I’m a very pragmatic person. If it sounds good, that’s nice, but how do I make it work? I was impressed by the truth this 15-year-old discovered, “Why not be happy again today”. She started with a one day decision (manageable) and simply decided to repeat it . Join me...let’s choose joy today, and then repeat tomorrow!

Your service is appreciated,
Pastor Rob

Links to other posts in this series: Don't Worry, Be Happy- Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5