The Secret to a happy life. It is so much easier than we all think!!!

We all realize, that the secret to happiness in life is not Money, or Sex, or Beauty.  (Well at least we know it is not that, although we still sometimes crave those things. I can't help it!)   The world is trying to sell us those things, and many of us buy it.  But for any of you who have stumbled upon this blog, you are probably smart enough to have figured out that the secret to happiness is not any of those things.

It actually came to me the other day, while I was yelling at my son.  (He's ten and he really knows how to push my buttons!) Basically my ephipany came something like this...

You see, I LOVE my son.  He is my oldest, and he is very much like me.  He is creative, witty, and full of energy.  He also questions EVERYTHING.  All of these things which are going to hopefully make him hugely successful later in life, drive me insane right now.  I am sure some of you can relate! 

But you see, I really do want him to be happy.  (Contrary to what he sometimes believes.)  Don't we all want that for our children?  I love giving him things that I know will truly make him happy.  But I don't give him everything he wants.  That, I know, would not truly make him happy.

I can admit that I am totally IMPERFECT, so I can understand that occasionally my children don't trust my judgement.  They certainly question my ability and my desire to put their needs above my own.

However, we all have a perfect parent, GOD.  And if I, an imperfect parent, can sincerely say that I want happiness for my child.  Then shouldn't it be totally obvious that true happiness, is also what my perfect Parent, God, wants for me?    So here is the key to happiness in this life...

TRUST in GOD.

Wow, I hear that all the time.  But I don't think I really got it, until now.   TRUST in GOD.  Isn't that basically written all over our money?   (I wonder what the conversation was like when our fore fathers decided to put that on our money?  Another post for another time...)


Soooo... What does this have to do with yelling at my son?

Well, I yell at my son, because he doesn't always OBEY me.  I think he doesn't always obey me, because he doesn't trust that I want him to be truly happy.  Or he thinks that he will miss out on some sort of fun (ie happiness) if he does obey me.  

Yet, I believe if he could just do EVERYTHING I tell him to do all the time, I would be able to make him even more happy!!!  If he helped me unload the dishwasher, and helped take care of his sibblings, if he never argued with me or his Father, not only would we have more time to make him happy.  Our desire to make him happy would increase even more.  (I realize this sounds conditional, and it is.  But remember, I am not a perfect parent.)

Now, our perfect parent, God, may not LOVE us more if we are obedient.  I mean he LOVES us perfectly even if we do disobey him.  BUT our JOY will definitely increase if we are obedient to his will for us.  Because he knows us best.  He knows what makes us the most happy in this world.  And if we can just trust him always, he will lead us to true happiness in this life!!!

Sounds awesome right?!?!?!   Now if I could just learn to do it.

Help me Lord, to always be obedient to your will for my life.  In the big things, and even in the little things.  Help me to place you FIRST in my life.  When I am distracted by the material things of this world, please give me the will to return to you.  I love you Lord!!!!