Happiness is...

 "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him."

Ecclesiastes 7:14

Happiness is.... As I searched for a definition of happiness, I decided that there is no one answer to that question. As my husband told me, happiness is different for each individual. You have to find what makes you happy, then pursue that dream or goal. The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 7:14 that when times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. We can search, all of our lives, to find happiness, but I believe that once you put your faith and trust in the Lord, He will give you happiness. But in fact, it is true, just because you have a faith in God, things are not always going to be easy. I am not going to sit here and lie to you and tell you that my life is 100% perfect since I accepted the Lord as my Savior. God gives us trials in life, it is up to you how you over come each of those situations. 

You basically have two options. You can sit there and question the Lord and ask Him why? Or you can look for the good in each situation. It is important to remember that the Lord has a lesson for us in every trial. It is an experience that you can learn from. 

There are 5 simple rules to being Happy:

1) Free your heart from hated, you must FORGIVE. 

             “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) The Lord has forgiven you, therefore you have absolutely no right not to forgive others. Believe me, I know that this is easier said than done. I have been known to hold a grudge or two, but I have to remember to give all my worries, angers, and fears to the Lord.

2) Free your mind from worries, most never happen. 

            They say that about 95% of the things that a person worries about never happens. So why is it that we stress over the simplest/dumbest things in life? Once we learn to give our worries and fears over to the Lord and pray about those things, He will take care of them. Just be ready for the answers that He gives you. Sometimes the situation doesn't turn out to be easy, sometimes there is pain- but remember to look for the lesson that God has for you. 

3) Live simply and appreciate what you have. 

           Money is one of the things that most people fight about in a relationship. But why is that? Money doesn't guarantee happiness. Money doesn't buy love. Money doesn't really solve all too many problems. Look at the celebrities and all of the drama that they go through. They get paid a ton of money, but that doesn't guarantee that they are "happy." People must learn to appreciate what the Lord has blessed them with. My husband and I have made it one of our goals to never fight over money. There is no point in worrying about something so small. The Lord has given us so much, and we are thankful for what we have. 

4) Give More. 

        Be optimistic, help others, treat others the way you would like to be treated. You don't have to physically give something to another person, but be there for someone. Do a good deed. Give yourself to the Lord. Maybe there is a friend that just needs someone to talk to, who needs a shoulder to lean on, or someone to comfort them. Being optimistic can be one of the harder things in life, but believe me, it pays off. I thank the Lord that I have the ability to be an optimistic person. It is gratifying to know that I have been given the opportunity to help others in a time of need. 

5) Expect Less. 

        You should be willing to give of yourself and expect nothing in return. We deserve absolutely nothing in this life. The Lord has paid the ultimate price for our sins. We are sinners, each and every one of us, and He died in our place. We deserve to burn in hell. But if we accept Jesus' gift of salvation, then we have been promised eternal life in heaven with our Lord and Savior. I am blessed for the many things that God has given me in this life. 

I find that happiness in life is the little things. For example, opening the mailbox to see that there is a letter in there from my husband. Hearing his voice. Logging onto the computer and seeing that he is online. Happiness is waking up to a text message from Facebook saying that my cousin is alive and okay in Afghanistan after 10 days in the field. A phone call on Skype from one of those soldiers. Maybe happiness is seeing your kids after a year long deployment. All in all, happiness starts with the Lord, He has blessed us all with so many things. Rejoice for the things He has given you in life.