2001-11-04. Secret to Life of Happiness
Nashville #132
Topic: Secret to Life Happiness
Group: Nashville TeaM
Teacher: Ham
TR: Rebecca
Opening
HAM: Greetings, children, I am Ham and I am grateful that you have come this evening. Tonight, we shall discuss gratitude and plenty.
Lesson
HAM: It is important for your happiness as you go through life to keep an eye on your goals, but more importantly, to constantly be aware of what you have in plenty. Focus on what is available to you, what is plentiful for you, what is abundant rather than focusing on what is scarce or hard to come by.
Many people are driven by their focus on what they want, what is scarce in their lives, and this certainly can be an engine to move you forward but it should not be an obsession for that leads to unhappiness. To be happy, one must be grateful. The two are inseparable and it is a simple thing to give thanks for what is plentiful in your lives and thus to open your mind to the happiness that is available to you.
As soon as a person starts to obsess about what should be, about what should have been, what cannot be done, then the door to unhappiness is opened wide and surely that person will enter. If, on the contrary, you say what’s past is past and the future is not yet here, but let me look around and give thanks for what is here and now. Everyone has something that is plentiful and in noticing the little things of plenty you begin to recognize the Father’s hand in your lives, when you give thanks for what you have, you acknowledge his care taking.
The Father provides and it is wise to acknowledge what he has given you rather than focusing on what is not yet available. At the end of the day, after you have done your best, striving for something a little beyond your reach, take some time and acknowledge what is plentiful in your lives even if it is only love for the Father and his love for you. If all the rest of your life is very sparse, still you are very rich.
It takes so little to acknowledge the good things in your lives, even if you have to reach for something, even if it seems silly, do so, give thanks for all the small and wonderful little blessings that surround you. You can give thanks for a beautiful day, a good conversation, having enough to eat, having friends, having family, all these things are plentiful and abundant. You may not have all the money that you want, but look again, and notice that you do have what you need for today. All these things constitute plenty. Somehow, each week goes by, things are take care of, other things are put aside, changes are made, but life is still wonderful. Those times when it seems that you have nowhere to turn and everything is very dark and terrible, once you are through those times and looking back, you can see how the Father cared for you and helped you, and gave you what was needed, and so it is wise to be thankful, and to grow closer to God in thanking him and acknowledging him.
Closing
It is said that the wise man awakens with a song of praise upon his heart and goes to bed with a prayer of gratitude upon his lips. And truly, this is a recipe for happiness in this life.
