True Happiness

A walk through the park on the way to a meeting feels like an obstacle, but a walk in the park for no reason at all feels like a luxury and a joy. Have you lost touch with the innate playful spirit you had when you were a child? See if you can bring it back. Make time to do things for the sake of enjoyment, and bring an attitude of fun and play to your daily life and experiences.

It is not wrong for men to possess riches. But the Bible warns that money cannot buy happiness! Money cannot buy true pleasure. Money cannot buy peace of heart. And money certainly cannot buy entrance into the Kingdom of God. Often money is a hindrance to these things. Money takes our minds off God. Riches, when used selfishly rather than for the glory of God, tend to corrupt in our hands. Money cannot be a substitute for God. If God has given you more wealth than your neighbors, dedicate it to Christ. Realize that you are only a steward of that which God has given you and someday you will have to give an account of every penny you have spent. The Internal Revenue Service wants a record of how you spend your money, but that is nothing compared to the books God is keeping.

“Life is good if we live in such a way to make it so.” This was a part of an inspirational message I read many years ago. What the message calls “a good life” comes as a result of the way we do things, of the words we choose to say, and even of the kind of thoughts we choose to have.

Yes, my beloved brothers and sisters, life is good if we live in such a way to make it so. Believing, desiring, deciding, and choosing correctly are the simple actions that define an increase in happiness and an increase in the inner assurance that transcends this life.

I am blessed to have so many great things in my life - family, friends, and God. All will be in my thoughts daily. Lil' Kim Life, Family, Daily

There is a saying which goes, "Worrying is like praying for what you don't want." In most instances, worrying about the future is no more logical or warranted than expecting a positive outcome -- in fact, your life experience likely shows that most things work out in the end. So save yourself from the emotional turmoil of worrying, and cultivate a mindset based on optimism, positive expectation and trust.

Occasionally we hear anecdotal accounts about individuals who grew up in troubled homes but fought against all odds and became very wealthy. “Such stories are sometimes cited as evidence that they made the best of a bad thing, turning out well despite or because of their unhappy childhoods,” explains a report on happiness in the San Francisco Chronicle. “The problem with this interpretation, according to research, is that they may not have turned out so well after all. They just turned out wealthy.”

What I love about Thanksgiving is that it's purely about getting together with friends or family and enjoying the food. It's really for everybody, and it doesn't matter where you're from. Daniel Humm Love, Family, Thanksgiving

King Solomon experimented with pleasures to see if they held the secret to happiness. “I will plunge into pleasures and enjoy myself,” he said. This wealthy king did not wade into them timidly. No, he dived into pleasures! Yet, how did he feel afterward? “This too was emptiness,” he wrote.—Ecclesiastes 2:1, New English Bible.