Joy....here?

Can joy be found on this earth? What brings us joy? Can situations and life circumstances bring us true, deep and everlasting joy that goes on through eternity?
The Lord gives and the Lord takes away... Blessed Be The Name Of The LORD! There seems to be a rhythm throughout all of life. The LORD!
Days come and go, the sun rises and falls, we meet people, talk to strangers, make someone smile. I play with my neice and nephew and enjoy sitting and talking with my brother and sister. I am at peace with family and enjoy being around them. I feel loved by my friends and family. I love to take pictures and paint, both gifts that the Lord Himself has blessed me with. I wake up, I go to work, I go home... and life continues another day.
Does the joy in this life come from this life? I'm not sure that it does. I know that the Lord has given me things that bring me joy, like my babies, my family and my friends. My job that the Lord has so graciously blessed me with. A house it seems that He has given me as a gift, a safe place, a refuge, a hiding place with Him. But all of these seem to fall short when it comes to speaking of having true, deep, everlasting joy.
They all seem to fall by the wayside as my soul continue to crave an all satisfying joy. All of these things on earth that tend to bring joy at times, I really do think are like sedatives. They numb me to the joy that is above. They deaden my desire for greater things - The joy that can only come from the perfect and merciful love of my Father. All of these things tend to clamor for my attention. They take up my day, and try to balloon and take presidence in my heart and mind. They do bring a type of joy... it's almost like a second rate joy. Like they are pleasures that the Lord has given us... but when they get to be so much, and so many, and out of perspective I guess in my heart, they become secondary pleasures that no longer point me to my God, but become idols themselves.
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord! The LORD is the rhythm in that verse. Things come and go. He gives us blessings and yet sometimes He takes them away, but He will always remain. The things of this earth can't promise that. The blessings of this earth can't say, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Houses will burn, cars will quit on us, family one day will die (as sad as that is), friends will come and go, some will stay for a lifetime, but nothing and no one can promise the true joy and happiness that the Lord offers.
How is it that I get so blind sided and suckered into thinking that these secondary pleasures are what makes me truly happy truly satisfied and joyful? Why do I settle for second best joys and pleasures, when the Lord God Almighty, the Prince of Peace, my Savior, Redeemer and Friend, Lover of my Soul offers me Himself - all of Him. He has given me all of Himself to abide in Him, to enjoy the endless wonders of His love and grace that never, never cease.
O LORD Jesus Christ have mercy on my soul, my prone to wander, settle for second best soul!