If You're Happy and You Know It!!!

I just watched a news piece on CBS saying that Boulder, Co was the happiest place in America to live.  They factor in many reason, one being the economy, which doesn't seem to be struggling there like most places.  The other interesting fact is less than 10% of that town smokes and less than 13% are considered obese.  They are just happy people living in a happy town.  Over all, the states that were happy were Hawaii and Alaska.  Which to me seems to make sense...who wouldn't be happy in paradise.  Alaska, I might need to try it to see where all the happiness is coming from on that one (grizzles and snow doesn't shout happy to me).  Not one single southern city made the list of being happy.  I am happy here in the south, but are others around me that unhappy in life???  Is there something in the air around us making the majority of the people feel unhappy???  I don't think so!!! I think happiness is a state of mind.  You can get up in the morning and let everything that is thrown at you get you down and have you so depressed that you can't function or you can always look on the bright side of things and know that better things are ahead.  I am not saying that there won't be days that you just can't help but feel down, but it shouldn't be everyday.  Happiness is sometimes more mental than environmental or your circumstances in life. Sometimes unhappiness is a choice for some.  It is their attention getter or sympathy caller, and if you are in their world...it gets old fast.  There are times in life that not everything goes our way and bad news is given to us, but it is all about the attitude.  If you go through life always being the victim, always feeling sorry for yourself, always envious of others and always having the "whoa is me attitude" then you will live a miserable existence.  Early on in my life, I decided not to live that miserable existence.  Does that mean life has always been great and carefree??? NO!!!  I have lost children, my husband almost died from an undiscovered disease, we have been persecuted by others, my parents have had bad health news as well as my in laws and I could go on and on as most of you could do the same.  I could be sitting here now wallering in self pity, but I choose to face life with a smile.  God is my rock...with Him I face the world with a smile and a song in my heart.  Which brings me to the next thing that bothers me...Christians who are always down and act like they have nothing to live for in this world.  I am talking about Christians who are sour, always unhappy and have the bless me if you can attitude.  As Christians we should be the happiest people in the world.  We have life and we have it more abundantly.  He didn't say that the more abundant part would be a fancy house, new cars or a shiny boat.  Happiness should not be things that you can see and touch, but more on things you can't see.  If we could really see our future today...would we want to??  I wouldn't.  Why?  Because God's grace is sufficent for the things that I am going through at each stage of my life.  I rely on His grace and His strength to see me through these situations.  It as been said that happiness is controled by situations, but JOY comes from the Lord.  I remember a little song that we use sing in the preschool class...."The joy of the Lord is my strength."  He is our strength in those dark times....He says that we are more than conquerors.  If you really believe that, then don't live the defeated life.  If you're happy and you know it....clap your hands.