Happy and Thankful

Granny here,

Happy and thankful are two words that just seem to go hand in hand, their like twins, one adds to the other. They may not be identical but they bring out the best in each other and I can say that because of Jesus Christ I am able to have both.

I'm happy for numerous reasons, salvation, health, family, financial needs, life in general, oh, I could go on and on. But because of my thankfulness I am also happy. It's not the euphoric kind of happiness but the genuine kind that is always there although others may not be able to see it. That kind of happiness is only for the moment, you're happy because you just got a new car, you're happy because you're kids just moved into their new apartment or happy because you just got a raise. But genuine happiness is the kind that comes from knowing that Jesus is always with you, knowing that He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Being happy doesn't mean that you won't have those life moments when you feel that the floor has dropped from under you but this kind of happy knows that knows it will be built again. Thankfulness brings happiness into it's perspective, thankfulness puts happiness in its place.

When I think of the blessings that God has brought into my life over the years I am overwhelmed at His goodness. I'm not rich but I get by, I'm not beautiful but I can look in the mirror, I don't own a lot of I'm thankful and that makes me happy.

I'm thankful each time I walk into my warm home in the winter, my cool home in the summer, when I turn on the lights and they bring me out of the darkness, when I sit at my table and eat whatever I want, when I go into the grocery story and God says here it is for the taking just pay for it on your way out. Folks, that happiness, that's thankfulness. When my family gathers around my Thanksgiving table, when they gather on Christmas Eve I'm thankful. It's a job, it takes time, it may not go smoothly but my heart is still overflowing with joy that we are still sharing these moments together.

Yes, I'm happy that I'm thankful and I'm thankful that I can be happy. Life is filled with all kinds of moments, it's like a crazy quilt, it's made up of all kinds of scraps but the final product can be beautiful because it's put together with love. That doesn't mean that it will never rain on your parade but it does mean you can put up your umbrella and when life tries to steal you happiness and your thankfulness just clench them tighter and hold them closer.

Life has many lessons and some of them aren't easy to learn but through thankfulness and happiness we can come through life a little wiser.

Granny here, just saying!