Lasting Happiness

"Happiness is as a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." Hawthorne

What does it take to truly make you happy? Not just for the moment, but for a lifetime? Have you ever sat down quietly and really searched your soul to seek an answer to what brings lasting joy to your life?

It is said, to make a man happy, you must, rather than add to his possessions, subtract from the sum of his desires. In other words, you must desire less and be happy with the things God has given you.

Possessions

"Springs are little things, but they are sources of large streams; a helm is a little thing, but we know its use and power; nails and pegs are little things, but they hold the parts of a large building together; a word, a look, a smile, a frown, are all little things, but powerful for good or evil. Think of this, and mind the little things." Hillis

Today, everyone strives to be successful. However, who is measuring your success? Is it the neighbor who just bought a new boat, the friend with the five bedroom home, or the man who passed you on the freeway in the new Mercedes?

Did you ever stop to think that there will always be someone who has something a little bigger, a little newer, a little more expensive than what you possess? Have you looked ahead and seen a home after twenty-five years or an automobile after ten? They are not examples of lasting success and happiness. Like all things, they age, corrode and become useless, never giving you a lifetime of joy.

By Eugenia S. Hunt

Within my silent, unspoken dreams,

Beginning with love's emotion.

Two hands clasp throughout tomorrow,

With promise of heart's devotion.

A smile to chase away my fears,

To never walk alone,

A heart to give me shelter,

And arms to be my home.

You came to me as a gift,

My silent dream come true.

The greatest gift of all to me,

Is being loved by you.

Search Within Yourself

"Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile." Wilfred T. Grenfell

If you observe a really happy man, you will find him working with his hands, sharing his thoughts, educating a child, admiring God's scenery, or following his dreams. He won't be searching for his own happiness in others, but within himself. He will be aware that happiness is found in living life twenty-four hours a day, moving beyond the past and looking forward to the future.

What Do You See?

"One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others." Archibald Rutledge

Do you look at a field of dandelions and see a day of work to clear them away. Or, do you see the melody they produce as the breeze carries them to and fro, then into the air, as they dance against the sky? There is beauty there.

When you see a small child in tears, do you think about the noise it is making? Or, do you see the sorrow in his eyes and want to make them smile again?

Do you receive you paycheck and feel thankful to have a job or do you get angry because the amount should be more?

Do you look at the family God has given you and feel pride in their accomplishments, no matter how small? Or, do you only see the fingerprints on the walls and the toys strewn around the room?

What do you feel for your friend when he is successful? Do you feel joy for him or are you envious of his good fortune?

Author Unknown

"It is only a tiny rosebud,

A flower of God's design;

But I cannot unfold the petals

With these clumsy hands of mine."

"The secret of unfolding flowers

Is not known to such as I.

GOD opens this flower so easily,

But in my hands they die."

"If I cannot unfold a rosebud,

This flower of God's design,

Then how can I have the wisdom

To unfold this life of mine?"

"So I'll trust in God for leading

Each moment of my day.

I will look to God for guidance

In each step of the way."

"The path that lies before me,

Only my Lord knows.

I'll trust God to unfold the moments,

Just as He unfolds the rose."

Accessible To All of Us

"People won't always remember what you said or what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel."

Try to keep your life simple. Avoid envying others and your own selfishness. Everyone has something to give to others to make their way easier. Don't always seek what you want. Consider the point of view of those around you, giving of yourself rather than taking for yourself only.

Watch your attitude and keep it peaceful. Try to always be the person who makes the pathway of others clear, rather than the one who blocks the way.

Be sure your motives for your good works are for the right reasons and remain generous with what you give. Show interest in others in earnest. The benefits will cause you reason for rejoicing.

Always spend less than you earn, avoiding extravagance. Sure, it is difficult to stay out of debt, but the rewards of peace of mind will be worth the effort.

Discover your interests and set time aside for a hobby. This diversion can help you relax and clear your mind of daily stress.

Stand guard to the gateway of your mind. Think constructive, useful thoughts. Begin the day being thankful for your blessings. Life and work is a privilege, not a punishment.

Never stop dreaming for our dreams build the pathway of our lives. We always need something for which to work for and look forward to.

Make the most of the day at hand, taking life one day at a time, remaining close with God. Discover the enduring happiness of knowing Him and what He wants for your life. Grasp tightly and hold on, with both hands, to what is truly important in the life He has given us through His love.

By Eugenia S. Hunt

As I gaze, after twilight,

Into a moonlit sky,

Sharing tiny, twinkling stars

With clouds floating by.

Or when I lift my eyes

To look upon the hills,

Reaching out to touch

God's own windowsill.

When snow is softly falling

Upon a wintry scene,

The caress of a sweetheart,

Eyes caught in their dreams.

A baby's small, but perfect, face

Molded in God's sphere.

The chirping of a sparrow,

Its music in my ear.

Ocean waves as they pound

Their hands upon the shore,

Rainbow hues against the sky,

Arched toward heaven's door.

A scented, summer rain,

Carried by the breeze,

Jesus, I remember you,

And fall humbly to my knees!

Author Unknown

One day I decided to quit...I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality.... I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me.

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

"In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. The same in year four.

"Then in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant.

But just six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.

"Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.

"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high."

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest, realizing that God will never give up on me. And He will never give up on you.

Never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you happiness; bad days give you experiences; both are essential to life.

My favorite Squidoo Charity

"FRIENDS OF THE PARK"

My Bio

Born in the small town of Pendleton, South Carolina, in 1950, I was the oldest of two, five years my sister's senior. It was a wonderful place to grow up where the entire town raised its children. I was always surrounded by people who loved and looked out for me. I graduated from High School with the same people who were in my kindergarten class. At 59, my childhood friends are still my friends. I feel so fortunate to have known such a childhood.

After college, I worked at Clemson University until May 1972. At that time, I married and lived in Glyfada, 22 miles from Athens, Greece for two years...via USAF. We then moved to North Dakota for another two years before returning to South Carolina.

We divorced after 16 years and two children. I married my best friend two years later and moved to Florida in 1988 and together we have raised my husband's son and daughter and my son and daughter...one federal officer, one "stay at home" mother and wife, one sixth grade school teacher, and the other, after working for Florida Power and Light since age 19, is now with AT&T. In 1996, I adopted my step daughter. We are blessed with four grandsons and one granddaughter.

In 1999, we became foster parents with the Children's Home Society and had a number of children under our roof in the next 5 years. In 2001, we adopted a 13 year old girl, whom we first met at the age of 11, and is now 22. I also have spent more time in a courtroom than I care to think about, fighting for the rights of the children in our care. In 2004, I turned in my license so that I could be a full time Mom to our special needs daughter and keep our infant granddaughter five days a week while her mother was teaching.

Bill, my husband, is a retired USAF Air Traffic Controller. He is now working out of the country, on Ascension Island, with Computer Science Raytheon, as their chief controller, contracted out of Patrick AFB, Florida. This enables him to continue to do the job he loves, air traffic, and aid the military. He flies in and out on furlough and I handle things here at home. I jokingly call myself a Single Married Woman.

Actually, I am a retired Accountant/Credit Manager, now a housewife, where I enjoy writing, singing, piano, and sewing. I have had numerous poems and short stories published and have sung in churches and for church organizations for years, as well as weddings, a couple of variety shows, and even at my daughter's, and later my son's, weddings, one of the hardest things I have EVER done. We are members of Riverside Baptist church where I am a soloist and a member of the Women's Bible Study Group.

And, last but not least, we have two singing dogs. Raven is a thirteen year old Skipperkee/Chow with bucked teeth and attitude and Whisper, our nine pound, twelve year old poodle, who thinks himself a Doberman.

I have been Mom To The Zoo since the morning after our wedding. My friend, Lee, who was staying with our four children and two dogs answered the phone from a sound sleep, "Hunt Zoo, Zookeeper Speaking."

My life has involved many changes and avenues that I would never have dreamed of and has given me challenges that I never thought I was equal to. But, I have found that God has a plan and, if you follow His lead, you can handle anything he puts in your hands. However, you have to first learn to listen to Him. No matter what we want from life, it must come in His time. He has given my husband and me more than we could have began to imagine back in high school and we have found that what we thought was so important for our futures back then was nothing to what we have done so far. I have learned from our foster children, to look forward to the future and the next challenge with enthusiasm and excitement. If they can trust and love us after what the world has dealt them, we can surely tackle whatever lies ahead with ease. Life is a series of learning experiences and I continue to find life to be both a challenge and a joy which grows with each passing year. I learn more and more about myself with each passing day!

Jeanie