Fishing For a Meaning

Getting a late post in today.  I was up at 3 AM for a fishing trip and so this was just one of those days where as much as I try to have my time with God in the morning, I just have to be flexible.  It may also explain the bad pun in the headline and my inability to understand this verse.  I'm a bit tired and when I read this passage from Zechariah it just left me stumped.

Zechariah 8:18-19(NKJV)

18Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 

19“Thus says the Lord of hosts:      ‘The fast of the fourth month,     The fast of the fifth,     The fast of the seventh,     And the fast of the tenth,     Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts     For the house of Judah.     Therefore love truth and peace.’

Can you understand my confusion?  These four fasts shall be cheerful feasts? 

Well I'm going to take a shot at making sense of this but I'm really guessing here so if someone else has a better explanation I'd love to hear it.

Here's my thoughts.  When we fast we are giving up or limiting our food intake  as part of a spiritual journey to draw closer to God.  When people fast, many of them get grouchy, they complain that they are fasting, and it's almost like their attitude defeats the whole fast.

What I think this means is that if we are going to fast then do it with a cheerful heart.  After all it is a form of an offering or gift to God and we are told to be cheerful givers.  And if we do that we will have a "cheerful feast".  

What could God mean by a feast?  How can we eat and have a feast when we are fasting?  That's the part that doesn't make sense correct?  Let's just go one step beyond fast to the point of the fast.  The point is to draw closer to God.  I think what is meant here is a feast of spiritual blessings from making that effort and actually drawing closer to God.  Does that make sense?

Let me know what you think.  I'd love to hear other ideas on this o