Pursuit of Joy

I am still pursuing it. Still asking myself daily, what makes me joyful. Focusing on positive things has made such an impact the past couple of weeks. I definitely still have grumpy, disgruntled, impatient moments don't get me wrong. That is why I am calling this the pursuit of joy. I think it can be attained but is also something that needs to be worked at to be maintained.
This week, when I have asked myself, what makes me joyful? Things like coffee, sunny days, getting off work early, sleeping in...all those things come to mind first. But is that really joy?? I don't think so. Those things are fleating, can disappoint, can change with a bitter coffee or clouds rolling in or the alarm going off. So I decided to look up the definitions:

Happiness:
1. Characterized by good luck; fortunate.
2. Enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy.
3. Being especially well-adapted; felicitous: a happy turn of phrase.
4. Cheerful; willing
The thing that strikes me with that is the word luck and fortunate. Again, fleeting worldly kinds of words. But look at joy:
Joy
1. deep happiness and contentment
2. something that brings deep happiness
3. success or satisfaction
4. To take great pleasure; rejoice.
Okay, yes they do use the word happiness (I should probably look it up in a concordance) Anyway, it still strikes me as different. The 2 words they use that I like: contentment and rejoice
I love the word contentment. In this day and age, we are so bombarded everywhere we go with things to show we shouldn't be content. We should get a bigger house, a showier car, new wardrobes, a fancy phone, fast speed internet....The list goes on and on. How are we, as Christians supposed to respond to this? We can't take our stuff with us. So does that mean we should just go ahead and spend all our money and enjoy it while here? This is something I have struggled with as my husband and I work hard and don't go crazy buying things, we have a small house, buy used cars...yet I look at friends who have one income and yet have big houses, fancy clothes. Jealosy definitey doesn't breed joy and that is what I am after. Contentment. I think God requires of us to be good stewards of what He had given us. I think with contentment in where we are at, comes joy.
Things I have come up with that I believe make me joyful:
- my kids-there is nothing so sweet as a big hug and an I love you from an offspring
- my kids talking about God, asking questions about God, singing about God, makes me feel maybe I am doing something right as a mom and a Christian
- my marriage - yes it has ups and downs that may affect my happiness in my marriage, but deep down, I have an amazing husband whom I love with all my heart and am filled with joy by his love for me. It is a gift I cherish
- my work - sometimes demanding, sometimes boring, again it has its ups and downs but it gives me joy to make people feel better. God gave me this desire to be a PT 20 years ago, He helped me stick with it, gave me a supportive husband, got me into PT school. It is a gift from God to go to work and enjoy what you do.
- my friends - I am blessed to have amazing friends. Some I get to see regularly, some not very often, one in heaven already. They have stuck by me, cried with me, laughed with me, helped me through good times and bad, put up with me and most importantly prayed for and with me.
These things bring me joy. They make life special, bring me deep happiness and contentment.