OH TO LIVE THE LIFE OF RILEY!

I love getting snippets of information out of a little book called; "Why You Say It" by Webb Garrison published 1992. My teen years were spent growing up in the 50's. A great time, as most of you know and those who came along later, now see it as possibly the best of times. That was the time I first heard about Riley. Riley was the figment of the imagination of a man named Rooney, who wrote about his feelings of the 'rich and famous' in a song, in the 1880's. The crux of it all was that Riley was a daydreamer. He would be so rich he wouldn't buy a ticket for a train ride, he would own the train. Get the picture!

I use to be a daydreamer. I gave my teachers problems because I would be looking out the window daydreaming instead of writing the assignment that was written on the chalkboard. Needless to say my homework left much to be desired. I loved reading books. It has been said that you can go anywhere you want, and be whomever you wished, through the pages of a book. Oh how true that is! I was always the heroine that saved the day; the princess who the prince fell in love with and the one who came home with all the gold and medals of achievement.

When I began reading I would start at the end and still do. As I ventured into the pages I would become so engrossed that I couldn't put it down until I read that last page again. I already knew how the story ended but knowing was not enough, I needed to know how the story teller reached the conclusion. Sometimes even when I read the last page I would dream the story on. Many times I was so glad that it ended that I didn't even bother reading the last few pages again. I would put that book down and never pick it up again. I could reread a good book!

Living the life of Riley is like becoming the heroine of the book. I was Nancy Drew, the nurse in the Cherry Ames series. I was always the nanny, the housekeeper's assistant in the Gothic's who eventually was discovered to be the owner of the manor and all the grounds. It is funny how much I read as a child and even in my young adult life compared with today. Now I read only God's word and the helps I seek when writing Morning Glory and my blog. I find it hard to imagine myself reading fiction again because it has even become difficult for me to become interest in a movie. If I do, I still would read the ending first. I have to know how the movie ends! I want to be entertain and not become conflicted.

God wants us to be satisfied with who we are in Him. God wants us to not covet our neighbors nor does He want us to covet riches to the point of creating a lifestyle that we cannot afford. In the parable of the sower Jesus tells about how the word is sown and how it is received. If the soil is questionable, then Satan immediately comes and takes away the word. As Jesus looks at the soil on where the word falls, He concludes with; "but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word and it proves unfruitful." Mark 4:19

Paul says; "Not that I complain of want; for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13

I suppose it would be fun to live the life of Riley. To buy the Jet instead of having to make reservations. But the rewards of living a Godly life, comes only from the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ. Getting up each morning, welcoming in the day with a clear conscience and with praises on your lips for the one who says; "your life with me is already bought and paid for." Lord help me to be content and to search no further! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/7/10