Recently I spent a week with my mother who is in a nursing home under Hospice care in a small town in Nebraska. It is a challenging situation watching someone you love dearly whose mind is, as we say in NE, "sharp as a tack," but whose body is simply worn out. I wasn't feeling anything but happy. Then on Sunday, I attended church with my brother. The sermon, entitled "Joy versus Happiness", was one of the most wonderful Christmas gifts I have ever received. In a nutshell, Pastor Lyle Schoen put it this way: "Happiness is an emotion you seek; joy is a divine gift you are given because of your relationship with Jesus Christ." I'm not sure why, at the age of almost 65, I haven't understood this before!

For years I have felt guilty because I often wasn't happy, and was at one point in a hospital for depression. I felt as a Christian I should be happy! After all, every Sunday I sang songs I loved about being joyful. My dearest friend of almost 30 years, a Jew who believes in Jesus, told me today, "Through the years, I've had difficulty understanding how you could be a Christian and feel bad."

I came home from NE feeling physically sick and emotionally drained -- certainly not happy -- but the joy of Jesus fills my heart. As a consultant, I teach clients how to "accomplish their work and enjoy their lives" -- and nothing I teach could have a greater impact than the true joy of Jesus. Suddenly I understand in my heart (not just my mind!) that this world is not my true home, and even when I am not happy, I can be joyful, because I know where I am going. In the meantime, I am excited to see what the Lord is doing in my life in this world -- and in yours!

Merry Christmas!