WHAT IS HAPPINESS???!! JUNE 15, 2001

WHAT IS HAPPINESS?
World's Idea Of Happiness:

After Lloyd passed away, (it has been 2 1/2 years now) I tried the world's way of finding happiness. Clothes and "things" became my obsession and I spent a great amount of money in this endeavour to find true happiness and hide my pain. My closets are bulging with those purchases and there are more clothes and "things" than I could possibly ever use........happiness however, eluded me through all the insane spending. My next phase was to spend hours on the computer trying to find happiness in others and their successses, while hiding from reality and life and living.....no lasting happiness there either! My next pursuit leads to true and REAL LASTING HAPPINESS!! Can you guess what that might be?

THE LORD'S IDEA OF HAPPINESS:

It was a slow process and a confusing process at first, but slowly I made my priorities in each day of my life, service to others. You guessed it, SERVICE TO OTHERS!! As I chose top billing in my life to serving others, happiness just showed up on my doorstep. When I made my permanent committment in life to being an instrument in the Lord's hands for good, making a difference in the lives of others for good, and healing the hearts of the weary and bringing hope to those in dispair, life became again beautiful and fufilling! It is a process, because at first I would get so overwhelmed with "where is MY time?" ! SERVICE IS "MY TIME"!!!!!!!!!
The blessings that come back to me more than compensate for "time spent"!!!!!!!!!!!
Not that I do it for the blessings, but they just are a natural byproduct of the joy that comes in serving. Yes, JOY, the highest form of happiness there possibly is in our lifetime. I began by trying to at least do one act of service (no matter how small--could even be a smile to someone who looks like they need it), but it became addicting very quickly and I found myself hunting for more opportunities in each day to give!!!! I do a personal inspection each day to make sure that I have not "failed" myself or my Heavanly Father!! It is NEVER too late to make a phone call or a note in the mail......! Yes, family comes first, and yes, I have much more time in my day than most, but sharing time and talent with others can be as short or long as you are able to give. Because I have been given much, more is expected of me and my time. You have to choose for yourself the amount, but WARNING*** Addiction comes quickly........!! Many times it is inconvenient,(not your preference of "things to do" at that moment), but I gaurantee,YOU WILL NEVER REGRET THAT TIME SPENT (AND THE BONUS IS, YOU GET TO TAKE THAT WITH YOU INTO THE AFTERLIFE. There are not a lot of things that have that tranferability!!

YES, TRUE HAPPINESS IS ACHIEVABLE EVEN IF ALL ELSE IS FAILING AND CRUMBLING ABOUT YOU!! IT JUST TAKES PATIENCE, PURE LOVE OF CHRIST, A WILLING HEART, AND, YES, SOMETIMES EVEN A CHANGE OF PERSONAL ATTITUDE!! THE REST IS MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!---THE lORD'S FORM OF MAGIC!!!!!!!