What makes me most content is making somebody smile. Not a fake smile, and certainly not a grimace. A smile that comes from instilled confidence, assured peace, or unexplainable, bubbling joy.
I think I feel happiest making other people smile like that because making them smile like that, makes me smile like that.
The the grand hall was dripping with streamers, coated in flower, and stuffed to capacity. There were hundreds of guests all robed in ridiculous finery. One lady was wearing a hoop skirt so large, she took up five seats, and her husband was looking miserable in a floor length velvet jacket with fur trimming.
The organist started to play the bridal march, and the Princess began to walk slowly down the aisle. She had to hold her breath to keep from laughing at all of the ridiculous outfits.
Her father met her half way down the aisle to lead her to the alter. When she was five feet away from him, a low moaning started. The bride paused and looked around, trying to see what was making the noise. It started to rise in pitch and strength. It was soon apparent that it was coming from outside the wedding hall.
All of the guests on the right side of the room rushed to the huge windows, looked out, and tried to discern where the noise was coming from. The Princess stood on her tip toes trying to see over the many heads.
The noise was almost unbearable now. The everyone was clutching at their ears trying to block the noise.
Suddenly, there was an ear-shattering crack, and the ceiling of the hall in the right front corner collapsed. In through the hole came a giant golden beast.
"It's a dragon!" Screamed a guest.
I'm going to take a break from, "The Unwanted Wedding", and share a God moment from my life.
Every other Wednesday, I attend Hillside Christian Fellowship for youth group. Every fall they have a weekend long retreat where, basically, we leave home for the weekend to listen to amazing speakers, grow closer with God, and have a blast.
So announcements were made, and my anticipation was mounting as I looked forward to the retreat. There was only one downside. The retreat cost money.
My family is not poor, but we are not rich either. So as the deadline for payment was quickly approaching, I had no idea where the money was going to come from. The funny thing is, I wasn't worried, and neither were my parents. We all knew that God was going to provide the money someway or another.
A week before the money was due, there was a missionary speaker at our church. At the end of every missions service, our church takes an offering for the missionary who was speaking. My dad went to write a check, and as he was writing the check, he realized that the money that he was giving to the missionary was the money he was going to use to pay for my retreat, but God was telling him to give the money to the missionary, so he did.
Five days before the money is due, we get a check in the mail reimbursing us for dental work. That money was enough to send me to the retreat plus to have a little left over!
Wow, God provides.
What is more amazing is that neither mom, dad, nor I were nervous or stressed about the money coming in. I felt like I should have been nervous, but I wasn't. We knew God would provide.
God is good all the time. All the time, God is good.
Here in northern Pennsylvania, we have had our first snow fall. None of it will stay because the ground is still too warm, but there is something magical about walking home through falling snow. I know that many people hate the snow, but I love it and always have. I feel invigorated and alive when there is snow on the ground. I love hiking through it and coming home to hot chocolate and a good book. I love the feeling of being bone-tired after coming in from the snow. I love the way it nips at my nose, ears, and cheeks. There is something very special to me about the snow.