Eternal Happiness

So recently we just got dish; so instead of the 4 channels we had with the antenna, we now have 400.  It's opened up a whole new world of television for me.  Shows like, "Army Wives", the inevitable "Jersey Shore" (aka train wreck - yes I'm ashamed to say I tuned in for an episode - but just one!  It's all I could take!)  And there there is one I saw the other night for the first time, a show called "Hoarders - Buried Alive" on TLC.  And all I have to say is WOW!  When did we as a society get the impression that "things" would make us happy?  And most of the stuff in these people's homes wasn't anything of value - emotionally or monetarily, it was just junk.  And the more junk they had, the more stressful their lives were.  But yet they continued to add to it, "Ughh...  Trying to sort this out and get organized is making me stressed and upset.  Let's go shopping and get more stuff."  Stuff that they will undoubtedly bring home, look at/use for maybe a day or so, and then get thrown on top of the already ginormous pile of stuff, only adding to the stress.  You would think at some point they'd stop themselves and say, "Hey, you know what, this isn't working.  I need to change." 

My point in all of this is, God wants us to be happy, we are his children, why wouldn't he?  But some day when our time on earth is done, we leave all of our earthly possessions behind to receive "eternal happiness".  And that's the happiness I'm working towards.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not an angel by any means, and I still love the feeling I get when I find that perfect pair of shoes, (I admit it, I'm addicted to shoes!), and I dream of some day owning that 42' boat.  But God is now, and will forever be first on my list.  If after tithing's, bills, putting some in savings, and what little I can donate to various charities; I have some money left then I'll spoil myself.  But for me, my happiness comes from with in.  That feeling you have inside when you are so close to God, and you've seen his miracles happen, its like your whole soul is happy, it just radiates from with in.  There is no pair of shoes or dream boat that can replace that or take it away, so why even bother?