It's time to begin, yes it's time!

Okay so the political slogan in the title hardly helps to grab attention but i'll be honest... that is one of my favourite advertisements of all time. I saw it again on the "Gruen Nation" an election edition of "The Gruen Transfer" that commentates how politicians have been and are being positioned in the media. I don't really wish to go on about the election in this post, mostly because i feel the direction of our country's government looks terribly bleak whether Labour or Liberal, Greens or Family First, Shooters' Party or even the Party Party. But hey, maybe i'll give the Fishers' Party a go!

Might i also begin by admitting my laziness. I haven't posted in, well, 7 months. Have i had nothing to say? Well nothing i could figure to put in words. Or maybe i had no time, all excuses aside i'm posting now.

"It's time". Well this is something that's been plaguing my mind a little bit. And you may wonder how i have time to talk about this at this very moment. 12:39pm on a friday afternoon. Shouldn't you be at school, Alex? And for those who are aware of my schooling timeline, "SHOULDN'T YOU BE STUDYING FOR TRIALS!!"

Well, yes... maybe.

I'm home, sick. Perfect timing. It gave me time to watch the movie "Pursuit of Happyness". I've always wanted to watch it, and finally i got the chance to. Not many, if any people read this so i'll admit i got a little emotional, but rightly so. This man, with his 5 year old, struggling just to eat, and have shelter every day. Something that i know i do myself, along with plenty of others i know. It really made me count my blessings.

(courtesy of Thomas Juggernaut after a discussion about what i wanted and how to get it..)

"Pursuit of Happyness." In the film its suggested that when ex-president Jefferson of the US said these words (albeit with the correct spelling), why did he select the word, "pursuit"? Is happiness something you can ever achieve or are we always just constantly trying to achieve it?

At the conclusion of the film i got to wondering about what I learnt at the end of it. English classes have had a severe impact on my life, clearly. So this man, gets to be a stock broker and everything will be alright for him and his son. So they finally have money. Money to buy what? Well obviously the next meal first and foremost, and then somewhere down the track somewhere to live. Then what? Well all the creature comforts of a "good" home, achieving a comfortable lifestyle.

All that is very well, but when exactly was this man Chris ever happy? He was happy before he had money just to be with his son. He was happy that he could enjoy time with his son, on the beach, without the noise of the city and not having to worry about anything, money inclusive. Burden-less.

It seems to me that it's not through "wanting" that he achieved happiness, but through the "not-wanting" that he did. What the heck do you mean, Alex? Well taking from the film he does not want money so much, but to not have to worry about money. He does not want money so much as he wants his child to grow up without being disadvantaged because of their financial situation.

Money is the end of a society. Take away money, what do you get? Without money, you don't need an education, because you don't need a job, because you don't need to pay for food or shelter. Take away money, and people share and are not competitive in some situations because there is no need to be ahead of the next person. There is nothing to feed the greed.

Okay, well let me move onto what that means for our relationship with God. I have a relationship with God, and in that relationship i know that He will provide what i need, when i need it. I don't need to want because of that fact. Do i still? yes, because ultimately i am still tempted by sinful desires that tell me to have "this next best thing" and only then will i be happy. In fact, I take most joy in my relationship with God through Christ because I feel a freedom in Him because He has cleansed me of all sin. I would like to not have to be worrying about the struggles in this life, or more importantly my salvation. By God's grace we no longer have to! Am i saying i won't struggle? No. Am i saying it's wrong to? No. What i am saying is live in the knowledge that Christ died for you, and that God is working for the good of His people always, in every situation. I have some bible references in my head but i won't write them down as i've forgotten where they're from but i'll end on this:

"I am happy, because by God's grace I do not have to want, but instead can be content that God will provide and forgive"

Amen?

(untitled, Photograph, 2009, Alex Archer)

In my head when i was thinking about all this stuff it was a little clearer, deeper and i know i've forgotten some stuff so please send any ideas this way. Peace!