“The way of ruthless trust [in God] is not an abstraction but a concrete, visible, and formidable reality. It gives definition to our lives, reveals what is life-giving within us, shapes the decisions we make and the words we speak, prods our consciousness, nurtures our spirit, impacts our interaction with others, sustains our will-to-meaning in life, and gives flesh and bone to our way of being in the world.”

- Brennan Manning Ruthless Trust

The mathematics of happiness.

Family/Friends + Money + Cool stuff + Fun hobbies + Good job + Comfort + whatever = Contentment
This is the standard equation for life.  It is an addition problem that equals happiness as long as all of our pieces are in place.  If one is removed, we either compensate by adding another or placing more weight on an existing piece.  If too many end up missing, we do not consider ourselves to be happy.

Over the past 2 1/2 years, the left side of our equation has been slowly whittled down.  With our move to Hawaii, we lost our family, most of our possessions, and our comfort zone.  Through that, life was simplified, and we began to realize happiness did not consist in possessions or one's family name.  But God was not finished.  With our latest move, that left side has once again lost more of its "crucial" pieces.  Gone are our good jobs, friends, money and fun hobbies. However, those many pieces have been replaced by one large piece.  No longer is it an addition problem but rather a simplified, balanced equation: God = contentment.

We have the least amount of (worldly) security, enjoyable hobbies, and possessions to date, but we are experiencing the most contentment of our entire lives.  It seems to me that anything we try to add to the left side of the equation, other than pursuing God and trusting him, only clutters our perspective and moves us farther away from being balanced.
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The value of the moment

Throughout Luke, Jesus was constantly calling his original audience to understand the importance of the moment.  Through his teaching and parables, he paints a picture of how important their decisions and actions are in the here and now, and how these moments affect all of eternity.  It seems that it is a natural human tendency to mentally flash backwards or forwards when the present isn’t as appealing as one would like.  I feel that the only way to stay in the “eternal now” is through the grace of God and the Spirit's correction. 

Therefore, other than “pulling” myself back whenever I catch myself drifting, I need to make this a continual prayer of mine: “Father, give me the wisdom, courage and self control to stay present.  Show me the beauty in this moment and direct me into the service you have for me.  I long to experience you and to show your love to others, and I know the 'here and now' is the only place that can happen.  Holy Spirit bring my focus on the present, while keeping the mindset of the eternal.  Thank you for this moment of life.  It is truly a gift. Amen.” 
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