Not too long ago we were celebrating the 4th and enjoying fireworks and perhaps the parade in Mokena. Great stuff. During the 4th I look at the blessings of our country and some of the ideals we are founded on like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And it seems in this country we are especially striving for the pursuit of happiness, trying to find the formula for happy, happy all the time. So let’s consider that in brief.

   I’m going to assume that there are more dog lovers than cat lovers in Frankfort. But even so I grew up with cats. My cat’s name was Miranda, a black and white , beautiful cat. I loved eating Cheetos as a kid and having her lick my fingers clean. At times Miranda would be my alarm clock, jumping to the top of my bunk bed and either licking me or biting me so I would pet her. She was a great cat.

   But what if my cat Miranda was the epicenter - the be all and end all - of my happiness. Well, it would mean I am not very happy because she is no longer here. She was a childhood cat that has been gone for years.

   I love this discussion of the pursuit of happiness, because as a pastor I’m convinced happiness or joy is possible. But here’s the pivotal question, “What do you find primary joy in?” If it is a pet, you better get a sea turtle because all the other pets you will probably outlive. If it is a job, what happens if the company hits hard times or you even have a job change? If it’s an upcoming marriage I’m not trying to be a downer, but spoiler alert, two imperfect people joined together does not equal perfection.

   So what if we took our pursuit for happiness, and turned it into a pursuit for God? You won’t outlive him because he doesn’t have a beginning or an end. He just is. How cool is that! Which means he can be there for you all the time. You won’t worry about a change in his status update because he’s promised never to change. He’s just plain good, loving, gracious, and forgiving all the time. And he won’t disappoint you by his character. He is the one who cannot fail, who cannot break a promise, who cannot sin against us because he is holy.

   So we invite you to pursue God! We have a series called “Fruit of the Spirit” going on during the summer. We’re taking a look at love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. They’re attributes that are sure to make a positive difference in your life. God bless!