Am I a Happy Servant?

I've been thinking alot about happiness lately. Maybe it's because my cup of happiness isn't always as full as I would like it to be. You would think that w/ all the blessings I have, my joy would know no bounds. And some days it does, but some days it doesn't. I can be happily going through my day and then something happens and I LONG for a BIG house w/ LOTS of room. Or I wish that for one minute, Kyler would sit STILL. Or I see pictures of some body's new house on facebook and I begin to envy their decorating touch and I conclude that I have none. ( And the longer I think about it, the more sure I am that ppl walk into my house and think to themselves, "My goodness! How very tacky!" )And the result? A grouchy woman who fusses at her children and hurts her husband's feelings. And the grouchy woman is very unhappy.

This morning in my devotions, I came across these verses. " But made himself (Jesus) nothing, taking the very nature of a servant..." Phil. 2:7
" ...The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matt. 20:28

You might wonder what happiness and these verses have to do w/ each other.

God spoke to my heart. Happiness is not a big house, children that sit still, or the decorations in my house. Happiness comes in being a servant, in giving of myself, first to my little family and then to others. Happiness comes when I live in TODAY, in the moment, and not in the past, or the future.

Let me share something w/ you that I read in a book. It's a little green book, w/ a funny picture on the front. It was published in 1974, so it's an older book, but FULL of words of wisdom! It's called 'Happiness is Homemaking' and I would recommend it to anybody!! It is well worth the penny I spent for it! ( Yes! I got it off of Amazon for a penny!! plus shipping!) Here are a few 'tips' from this book.

Plant Happiness
First plant 5 rows of peas: Prayer, Perseverance, Politeness, promptness, and purity.
Next plant 3 rows of squash: Squash gossip, Squash criticism, Squash indifference.
Then 5 rows of lettuce: Let us be faithful to duty, let us be unselfish, let us be truthful, let us follow Christ, let us love one another.
No garden is complete w/o turnips: Turn up for church. Turn up w/ a smile. Turn up w/ new ideas. Turn up w/ determination to make everything count for something good and worthwhile. -Author Unknown

* Happiness is a by-product of our thinking, acting, living.
* the secret to true happiness is to do a little kindness to someone everyday
* Happiness comes in having someone to love, It is in loving, not in being loved, that you are blessed.
* Today you can show your love in a special way to your husband and to each child. Let them know they are wanted and appreciated. Love goes beyond mere duty.
* Happiness has no reason and can't be found in the facts of your life. It does come in the color of the light by which you look at the facts.

Happiness comes when I forget myself. when I give and give and give of myself for my family. When I focus on Christ, I can see beyond daily incidents and the little things that bug me. I can see beyond pull-ups, pampers, toys, bottles, feeding little ppl, laundry that's been in the dryer for _ days, dishes on the counter, dust on my end tables...When I keep my focus on Christ, I see what really matters in life. I see my children as priceless blessings that are to be cherished and not taken for granted. I see my husband as a wonderful gift from God and the 2% of him that isn't perfect, doesn't irritate me anymore.
I am happy when I focus on the eternal things in life. I have the opportunity to make at least 3 ppl happy today... and in doing that, I will find great happiness and joy!

This post is to me. It's the things I try to remind myself of everyday.

May you be blessed w/ a happy day!!