This time of year can leave you with mixed emotions. It is a time of great expectations; if unmet the expectations can lead to disappointment. It is a time to be with family and friends and for many that can accentuate their loneliness. It is a time of highs and happiness, and can sometimes be a time of lows and sorrow. I am going to take a challenge this season, to be joyful and thankful.

My church pastor has recently challenged our congregation to seek out, find, grasp, and bring along with us through life, joy. Joy is not something we will land upon when we reach some unmet goal. It is not like happiness, fleeting and floating away too quickly. It is not haphazard or lucky. Instead it is deep within us, it is strong and staying. Our pastor reminded us of the story of Paul; his hardships he endured could have really gotten him down. Paul brought his joy along for the journey though. He didn't find joy in his hardships; he brought it along and used it to help him along the way. It has staying power because it is within us, rather than landing in our lap like happiness. Our pastor encouraged us to bring it along on our life journey too. It seems to me a good thing to bring me through this season. I am hopeful it will remind me of the true meaning of the season.

And it is with a humble heart that I admit to watching a very meaningful Veggie Tale video about Madame Blueberry and her thankful heart. Madame Blueberry has a wonderful home filled with everything she needs including two butlers. She is however, a very BLUE berry. She goes to her local "stuff mart" where she purchases everything she could possibly need or want in an effort to make herself happy. Her lovely tree house is soon filled with so much stuff that the weight of it causes the entire thing to crash to the ground. She finds herself with nothing. It isn't until she is faced with having nothing that she realizes all that she has to be thankful for. When she begins to feel thankful for things, she realizes that she really does have a lot to be thankful for. She realizes that feeling thankful makes her feel joyful.

I am not unlike Madame Blueberry. I have longed for things I don't have, thinking they may bring me happiness (remember that fleeting emotion?). Living in America can be like living in the middle of a big "stuff mart." Everywhere you look there are things to have, things to buy, things to want.Those of us living on or near a lake can be faced with many “stuff mart”wants. It is a great fortune to be able to enjoy this lifestyle. But joy is not in the having. Joy is in being thankful. Focusing on what we have is a good place to start. “Because a thankful heart is a joyful heart. Be thankful for what you have, it’s an easy place to start.” So goes the song in the Veggie Tale video. It brings life right into focus. I hope you bring joy with you this season as you visit family and friends. I hope you bring joy as you live through your hardships.

I hope you bring a thankful heart as you shop for gifts and walk through the aisles of your local “stuff mart.” To be joyful and thankful would be a wonderful way to journey through life. Luckily these two things can be found within ourselves no matter what our circumstances.

By Nancy Henke