“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, He said this, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’” – Matthew 5:1-3

Time Magazine ran a cover story in the summer July of 2013 entitled “The Pursuit of Happiness.”  Here is some of what it said, “Since 1972, only about 1/3 of Americans have described themselves as very happy.”  (That means 2/3 have not).  Twenty-five percent of American women said they are taking anti-depressants.  That’s a lot of folks.  They go on to conclude in this article, “We’ve got all the toys. Now we need to relocate the joy.” They were speaking to the restless emptiness of our hyper-affluent culture. The pursuit of happiness is in our national DNA. It’s a part of who we are. Thomas Jefferson engraved it into our consciousness.

Yet, so many seem to struggle in really experiencing happiness. Jesus gives us a radically counter cultural view of how to discover spiritual joy. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Blessed means ‘happy’ or ‘joyful.’ What? How can He relate ‘poor in spirit’ with happiness? Well, ‘poor in spirit’ means recognizing our need for God. It is the opposite of arrogance. Arrogant people say, “I do not need God.  I am self-reliant.  I am self-sufficient.”  That’s very much a part of the American way.  Jesus is trying to help us understand something deeper.  This is really about humility.  And humility is the one virtue, when you think you have it, you just lost it.  It’s something that man does not come by naturally. You’re never going to discover ultimate happiness until you have enough humility to recognize you need God.  Without Him, you’re going to miss the ultimate meaning of life. Without God, lasting happiness is unattainable.

But there is more! The end of this Scripture also comes with a promise. Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”  Once we come to be poor in spirit and recognize our need for God, then we have the opportunity to claim the grace and forgiveness of God through what Christ has done for us on the cross.  And then, we can enter in to the kingdom of heaven! The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are one in the same. They are used interchangeably.  What is the kingdom of God?  It is wherever Jesus reigns. If He reigns in your life, then the kingdom of God is there.  If He reigns in your family, the kingdom of God is there. If Jesus reigns in your church, the kingdom of God is there. If He reigns in a ministry where you serve, the kingdom of God is there. Wherever Jesus reigns, there is the kingdom of God.  It doesn’t mean in the future – it means right now – in the present. And once we enter the kingdom of God through faith, we stay in the kingdom of God, as a child of God, forever! Only in the center of God’s will in His Kingdom do we discover ultimate happiness.

NAME	EMP DATE	POSITION	LOCATION
GRACE CAMPISI	05/07/18	OFFICE	NORTH
DENNIS WEATHERFORD	05/07/18	TOW TRUCK DRIVR	NORTH
DEMORI FORDE	05/07/18	HONDA SALES	NORTH
BRIAN PURVIS	05/07/18	LOT PORTER	SOUTH
LYNDSAY HALBERT	05/14/18	BDC CUST SERV	SOUTH
MARTICIA BAKER	05/14/18	BDC CUST SERV	SOUTH
DAVID MUNOZ JR	05/14/18	LUBE TECH	SOUTH
CHARLES JACKSON JR	05/21/18	BS ESTIMATOR	SOUTH
DAVIS DLUGOKECKI	05/21/18	CHEVY SALES	SOUTH
JEAN ROSIER	05/21/18	KIA SALES	SOUTH
MERILIN AMADOR	05/21/18	CASHIER	NORTH
JOHNATHAN BAKER	05/21/18	HONDA SALES	NORTH
MEGAN VAUGHN	05/25/18	VEH EXCH COORD	NORTH
RONALD HUFF	05/25/18	DRIVER	SOUTH

NAME	POSITION	BDATE	LOCATION
SAMMY MARTINEZ	SERVICE TECH	6/2	SOUTH
TONY MONTESANO	FINANCE CLOSER	6/2	NORTH
MICHAEL BUONOCORE	DETAIL WASH	6/3	SOUTH
TONY COOPER	SERVICE DIRECTR	6/4	NORTH
BART KESSLER	DLR TRADE DRIVE	6/6	SOUTH
JONATHON DUNDON	SERVICE TECH	6/8	SOUTH
JOSEPH ADAIR	PARTS DRIVER	6/10	SOUTH
MARK BRIGHAM	SERVICE TECH	6/11	SOUTH
DOUG ENGLISH	SERVICE TECH	6/11	SOUTH
JAYY BOYD	DETAIL TECH	6/11	SOUTH
ALEXANDER GERENA	DETAIL WASH	6/11	NORTH
TONY PONCETI	GMC SALES	6/13	NORTH
STEVE CHILTON	PARTS MANAGER	6/18	SOUTH
GEORGE CUEVAS	DETAIL TECH	6/18	NORTH
CHARLIE NORWOOD JR	SALES MANAGER	6/20	SOUTH
VICKIE CANADY	F&I ASSISTANT	6/20	SOUTH
DAVE ROBLES	PARTS COUNTER	6/22	SOUTH
LISA CYBULSKI	BDC SERVICE	6/23	NORTH
CALVIN BYRD	DETAIL WASH	6/24	SOUTH
DENNIS WEATHERFORD	TOW TRUCK DRIVR	6/26	NORTH
THOMAS LIN JR	F&I CLOSER	6/26	SOUTH
ANTHONY CATANIA	SERVICE ADVISOR	6/27	SOUTH
ERIN HARRISON	INV/DT/WS	6/29	SOUTH
JOHN DARQUEA	DETAIL WASH	6/29	SOUTH

NAME	EMP DATE	POSITION	LOCATION	YEARS HERE
LONNIE ANDERSON	06/10/13	DETAIL TECH	SOUTH	5 YEARS
TRACEY J STEFFES	06/17/13	PREOWN SALES S	SOUTH	5 YEARS
MICHAEL K CLARKE	06/03/15	BODY SHOP MGR	SOUTH	3 YEARS
PEDRO JENER	06/08/15	FINANCE CLOSER	NORTH	3 YEARS
CHRISTOPHER LIGHTFOOT	06/06/16	SERVICE TECH	NORTH	2 YEARS
ALEENA M PERRYMAN	06/06/16	FILE CLERK	NORTH	2 YEARS
WILLIE J WRIGHT	06/12/17	CHEVY SALES	SOUTH	1 YEAR
STEPHANIE M MOLINA	06/12/17	VEH EXCH COORD	SOUTH	1 YEAR
MIGUEL A VAZQUEZ JR	06/12/17	SERVICE TECH	NORTH	1 YEAR
VICKIE S MURRAY	06/19/17	VAN DRIVER	NORTH	1 YEAR
KELSEY T JOHNSON	06/19/17	CASHIER	SOUTH	1 YEAR
GABRIEL A DE JESUS	06/24/17	PREOWN SALES N	NORTH	1 YEAR
CARLOS ORTEGA	06/26/17	KIA SALES	SOUTH	1 YEAR

At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.      Ephesians 5:20

 

     A thankful person is a happy person!  If we want to increase our joy, all we really need to do is think more about what we have to be grateful for.  Sadly, it is easy to fall into the habit of thinking about what we want, what we dont have, or what other people have that we wish we had.  But that doesn’t please God, and it steals our joy.

     God’s Word teaches that we should be anxious for nothing, and to pray about everything, with thanksgiving (see Phillippians 4:6)  I doubt that God has any interest in giving us more if we are already complaining about what we have or dont have.  It seems that the more thankful and appreciative we are for what God has already done for us, the more He would be inclined to do.

     Start a journal and everyday think of five things you have to be thankful for and voice your gratitude to God.

 

 

 

North side rented out the entire movie theatre at Lakeland Square Mall to see their own private screening of the Avengers.  Popcorn and candy was donated by vendors.

NAME	EMP DATE	POSITION	LOCATION
VICKI SIMMONS	04/02/18	BDC RECEPTION	SOUTH
YASDENE  PORTALATIN	04/02/18	BDC RECEPTION	SOUTH
VICTORIA MAGDANZ	04/02/18	ADMIN ASSISTANT	SOUTH
ROBERT KITZMILLER	04/02/18	PAINTER	SOUTH
HECTOR FELICIANO	04/02/18	DETAIL WASH	SOUTH
DAVID MARTIN	04/02/18	MAINTENANCE	SOUTH
SEAN BRADY	04/02/18	HONDA SALES	NORTH
MEGAN GODING	04/02/18	BDC	SOUTH
MIKAILA MOORE	04/02/18	SERVICE PORTER	SOUTH
DENZEL LEWIS	04/09/18	HONDA SALES	NORTH
CHRISTOPHER COKER	04/16/18	DETAIL WASH	NORTH
SHUVRA PAUL	04/16/18	F&I CLOSER	NORTH
JOSEPH DOTSON	04/16/18	DETAIL WASH	SOUTH
CAITLIN SEALEY	04/16/18	BDC RECEPTION	SOUTH
COREY PLUMMER	04/23/18	HONDA SALES	NORTH
EURICK VIZCAINO	04/23/18	LOT PORTER	NORTH
CODY NIEMAS	04/23/18	HONDA SALES	NORTH
JARRETT SCHROM	04/30/18	ADVISOR	SOUTH
DASHIRA BENITEZ GERENA	04/30/18	PORTER	SOUTH
ANTHONY PONCETI	04/30/18	GMC SOUTH	SOUTH