Happiness in difficult times

When I considered names for my blog, I felt that "blessed with happiness" best captured the way I feel.  The by-line under the title says, "God has given us the gift of happiness. Our task is to recognize it, nourish it, share it and thank Him for it."  I truly believe this.  To me God blessed us all as his children with the capacity to feel happiness and it is what he wants for us.  The trick is knowing happiness when we see it and being willing to invest in it and help it grow.  

In my mind, being happy doesn't mean being constantly brimming with joy or being a "Pollyanna" who doesn't recognize life's challenges.  I have no expectations that I will be ecstatically happy about everything that happens in my life, but I do have the desire to see the blessings in every situation and to use them to make things better for me and for those around me.  The path to happiness begins with acceptance of your circumstances, then looking for the hidden possibilities for happiness, leaning on those happy moments and thanking God for them.  I have found that this process makes anything easier to bear.

I'll give you an example.  Yesterday, I had surgery on my sinuses.  I am recovering, but there is pain involved and I am pretty tired.  Definitely not a pleasant experience, but there have been moments that increased my happiness even during this time.  My nurse, Lynne, was just as sweet and caring as she could be.  Before the surgery, she soothed my nerves and made me more comfortable.  As I was waking up from the anesthesia, she was right there holding my hand and talking softly to me.  Until the time I left, she took care of my needs.  She was definitely a blessing to me.  

My surgery has also given me a renewed appreciation for my husband.  He has taken such good care of me since the surgery: getting me food, helping me up, bringing me things I need, and just generally anticipating my every want.  I have also received good wishes and love from my parents, a phone call from my preacher, and flowers from my co-workers.  All of these moments have made my recovery so much easier and me so much happier.

Thank you, God, for bringing me safely through my surgery and for giving me these wonderful people to care for me.  Thank you for your gift of happiness and for helping me to find it!