Desire

Psalm 37:4 (KJV) Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Desires change over time. When I was young, I wanted to be old. When I was single, I wanted to be married. When I was in school, all I wanted was to graduate. We change too, as we receive the desires of our heart. Sometimes, we are grateful for answered prayers. Sometimes, we are grateful for unanswered prayers. Maturity changes our desires. Experience changes our desires. God changes our desires. The scripture says, "delight yourself in the Lord." When you delight yourself in the things that matter to God, your desires will align with the things of God. What is God's desire for your life? Who does God desire you to be? God's desires for you should work in tandem with your own personal desires.

 

Joy

I went to bed with news of someone's death, and woke up this morning with news of someone's death. Every year, it seems that more and more people transition through the holidays, which in turns makes it hard for those people to endure the holidays the following year. How can we celebrate with so much gloom and doom? How can I have joy in the midst of all this sorrow and pain? Well, joy is a feeling, but it's also a choice. You can choose to wallow in despair and sadness or you can relish in memories of joy and happiness. Joy is a gift that you can open and share with the world or you can leave it unopened. Choose joy! It's an easier burden to bear. 

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."- Buddha

Sidenote: What does Buddha have to do with Christmas? I've always said that we have more in common than we do differences. Find your common ground. Find joy! Read more at http://www.alanpeto.com/buddhism/understanding-buddhist-christmas/