Two sisters, a year apart in middle school, returned from winter break after a week at Disney World with their family. One was down in the dumps and when asked what was wrong, she retorted, “I just came back from a week off school in Florida to this freezing cold weather and homework––that’s what’s wrong.”

I know that winter is hard. I know it’s long in Chicago, and there isn’t much for us to do outside when it’s cold here. I also know that seasonal depression is a real thing.

A fifty-one-year-old widow in Oklahoma City was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was told that she had just a year to live. She had saved up money during her life and decided that over her last year, she would spend as much as possible, to find a year of happiness.

It was the day before Christmas Eve and she was trying to finish up some last minute shopping at the mall. The kids tugged her towards the line to make requests from Santa.

No language has as many words for joy and rejoicing as Hebrew does. In the Old Testament, thirteen Hebrew roots, found in twenty-seven different words, are used primarily for some aspect of joy or joyful participation in religious worship.

There are so many good things in life that God has given us to enjoy. Family, friends, work, church, physical exercise, hobbies, outdoor recreation. Why then are we so unhappy?