Lilly: Greetings! How hath the events in your life transpired? Are thine duckies all lined up in a straighteth fashion? Hast thy ride been smooth these yon few days?
Dodger: You'll have to excuse her, she's preparing to audition for a school play, and this year we're doing As You Like It, by William Shakespeare.
Lilly: Indeed, but fear not! For I shall not seek to retain mine style of speaking for much longer hence.
Dodger: Does that mean you're going to stop talking like that?
Lilly: Aye, verily.
Dodger: Does that mean "yes"?
Lilly: Aye, verily.
Dodger: Um...great.
Lilly: Hath thine feelings been true to thine condition? Is the window of your life filled with sunshine?
Dodger: What?
Lilly: How have you been? Good?
Dodger: Oh. Um, okay, I guess.
Lilly: What do you mean? Have things been going wrong?
Dodger: Actually, I'm bummed out about just stuff in general. Normally I'm excited about going back to school, but this year, not so much. I expected a package in the mail yesterday, but it didn't come. My cat, normally so affectionate, has been shunning me. I tripped on a sidewalk crack yesterday and flung an ice cream cone I'd spent fifteen minutes preparing and used it to accidentally decorate the neighbor's front door. In other words, everything's being well, not awesome.
Lilly: Hmmm. So you're just kind of feeling low?
Dodger: Yeah. I'm sure that it's for no real reason, but I'm still feeling weighed down.
Lilly: I see. Well, it doth appear that thine heart is in dire need of a dosage of Scripture!
Dodger: You mean it'd be a good idea for me to look at the Bible?
Lilly: Aye, verily. I'm referring to a certain verse in the book of Nehemiah. We've mentioned it before, but I want to talk a little about the story, which is in chapter 8. The children of Israel are in Jerusalem, and are gathered together to listen to the reading of the law. They and their ancestors wandered far from God's Word, and are gathered to try and get back on track. A man named Ezra and some others read them the law, and we pick up the story in verse 8:
"So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law." (v. 8-9, NKJV)
Dodger: Wait. Why were they weeping?
Lilly: Well, they hadn't been doing God's Word.
Dodger: Are you saying I'm sad because I'm ignoring God's Word?
Lilly: No indeed! That's not my point at all! My point is what happens in the next verse:
"Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10, NKJV)
My point, Dodger, is that to these people who had previously ruined everything, God was giving a call to be glad, even with feasting! He was telling them to rejoice not in what they had done or even would do, but in the strength they derived from God's joy. You know, joy isn't always about being happy. The two are often confused, but they're not the same thing. Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy is an attitude that chooses to be confident and content in God. We all have doldrum days, even weeks or months, like yours, Dodger, but the fact is that our God is still there for us. He loves us in every situation, whether we're glorifying Him or missing the mark entirely. Either way, He still gives us the strength to keep our eyes on Him. Sometimes that won't come with warm feelings, other times it will. Whichever the case, we have much to be thankful for, even when we don't realize it. God is good, whether we see it or not, and our lives are blessed by Him, whether we feel it or not. That's part of why the Bible says:
Dodger: You'll have to excuse her, she's preparing to audition for a school play, and this year we're doing As You Like It, by William Shakespeare.
Lilly: Indeed, but fear not! For I shall not seek to retain mine style of speaking for much longer hence.
Dodger: Does that mean you're going to stop talking like that?
Lilly: Aye, verily.
Dodger: Does that mean "yes"?
Lilly: Aye, verily.
Dodger: Um...great.
Lilly: Hath thine feelings been true to thine condition? Is the window of your life filled with sunshine?
Dodger: What?
Lilly: How have you been? Good?
Dodger: Oh. Um, okay, I guess.
Lilly: What do you mean? Have things been going wrong?
Dodger: Actually, I'm bummed out about just stuff in general. Normally I'm excited about going back to school, but this year, not so much. I expected a package in the mail yesterday, but it didn't come. My cat, normally so affectionate, has been shunning me. I tripped on a sidewalk crack yesterday and flung an ice cream cone I'd spent fifteen minutes preparing and used it to accidentally decorate the neighbor's front door. In other words, everything's being well, not awesome.
Lilly: Hmmm. So you're just kind of feeling low?
Dodger: Yeah. I'm sure that it's for no real reason, but I'm still feeling weighed down.
Lilly: I see. Well, it doth appear that thine heart is in dire need of a dosage of Scripture!
Dodger: You mean it'd be a good idea for me to look at the Bible?
Lilly: Aye, verily. I'm referring to a certain verse in the book of Nehemiah. We've mentioned it before, but I want to talk a little about the story, which is in chapter 8. The children of Israel are in Jerusalem, and are gathered together to listen to the reading of the law. They and their ancestors wandered far from God's Word, and are gathered to try and get back on track. A man named Ezra and some others read them the law, and we pick up the story in verse 8:
"So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law." (v. 8-9, NKJV)
Dodger: Wait. Why were they weeping?
Lilly: Well, they hadn't been doing God's Word.
Dodger: Are you saying I'm sad because I'm ignoring God's Word?
Lilly: No indeed! That's not my point at all! My point is what happens in the next verse:
"Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10, NKJV)
My point, Dodger, is that to these people who had previously ruined everything, God was giving a call to be glad, even with feasting! He was telling them to rejoice not in what they had done or even would do, but in the strength they derived from God's joy. You know, joy isn't always about being happy. The two are often confused, but they're not the same thing. Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy is an attitude that chooses to be confident and content in God. We all have doldrum days, even weeks or months, like yours, Dodger, but the fact is that our God is still there for us. He loves us in every situation, whether we're glorifying Him or missing the mark entirely. Either way, He still gives us the strength to keep our eyes on Him. Sometimes that won't come with warm feelings, other times it will. Whichever the case, we have much to be thankful for, even when we don't realize it. God is good, whether we see it or not, and our lives are blessed by Him, whether we feel it or not. That's part of why the Bible says:
Dodger: So, even at my low, God is still on high.
Lilly: You got it. He's looking out for you. You may not always feel super-happy, but you can be sure that God is never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, going to let you down. Life isn't always lived at the top of the hill, but God remains with us at the bottom of the hill, too.
Dodger: I actually do feel kind of better.
Lilly: Sometime the simplest reminder of a promise well kept lifteth up the heart and wipes away tears that hath been wept.
Dodger: You mean that being reminded of God's Word can cheer us up?
Lilly: Yeah, that.
Dodger: Cool. Well, you're right. God is good. As for me, I will rejoice in His love, making a decision to rejoice even when I don't feel super glad. We need to head out, it looks like. Thank you for coming and hanging out with us today! We're always glad to see you. Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!
Lilly: Aye, verily.
Lilly: Aye, verily.
Obviously the author is goofing off with Shakespeare, he doesn't sound like that.
NKJV Refers to the New King James Version of the Bible
Credit for Psalm poster to Pinterest via http://www.mastomamablog.com/2012/09/friday-favorite-things-homeschool-decor.html, a site not owned or operated by I-BulldogStudios
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