Skip to main content

Do What Makes You Happy

The other day I was in a store.  As I walked past the lingerie, one in particular.  It made me stop and think.   It was not provocative or skimpy something that would turn heads.  It was what was printed on the nightie that bothered me.  It said, “Do what makes you happy.”  


I know most of you who are  reading this will think, “What’s so wrong with that?” Well, first, “happiness” is relative.  Happiness, not a one size fits all thing.  For example, I love running, it makes me happy.  You, on the other hand, might hate exercise of any kind so it would not make you happy.   “That’s not necessarily a problem,”  You might say.  And you are right, it might not be a problem.  But consider this; I live in town, and my son is quite noisy in the morning.   However, he is happiest when he is loudly talking to himself outside.  If he did what made him happy, my neighbors would all be awake at 7:00 a.m. with him.  Call me crazy, but I am willing to bet that my neighbors do not want him to do what makes him happy.  There are many other instances where doing what makes me happy would be the worst thing in the world.  If someone cuts me off in traffic and what would make me happy is to ram the back of their car then maybe I should reconsider doing what makes me happy.  I don’t need to go on; you get the point. 

Am I saying that we should not be happy? By no means!  We should have and live life to the fullest.  I am suggesting that happiness is a choice.  I can choose to be happy or not happy in any circumstance life throws at me.   I can elect to consider those around me when deciding what will make me happy.  The absolute best example of wanting others happiness and not his own is the example of Christ; when he was hanging between heaven and hell.  We would say that there is no way he could be happy suffering in that manner.    The writer of Hebrews said, “For the joy set before him he endured the cross …”  It seems that what brought Jesus happiness was suffering so that we could be brought near to him. 
 

Perhaps the same is true for us also.  When we consider the happiness of others as of greater value than our happiness, then our definition of happiness changes also.  We find happiness and even, dare I say it, joy in considering the needs of others as more important than our needs.  So even though my son would be happy to go outside and talk very loudly at 7 in the morning.  I do not let him because I know my neighbors would rather sleep a little longer, that and I don’t want any rocks thrown at my house.  Jus’ sayin’

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What’s That Smell?

To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. 2Corinthians 2:16 Last break!  The shift was almost over. Then the unthinkable happened, this man appeared out of nowhere wanting to know where the flashlights were kept.  As we were on our way to the flashlights, I noticed that this man had a very strong odor.  I thought perhaps I could get in front of him so that the smell would not be as strong.   That, however, was not to be either since; he insisted on keeping pace and walking right beside me. By the time we got to where the flashlights were; I was practically running just to keep ahead of him.  I showed him the flashlights and made a hasty exit.  If you’re like me, you shower and even put on perfume or cologne so that you will not stink.  We are concerned that the smell coming from our body is not offensive to others.  As I write this, I wonder if we are as concerned with our spiritual aroma as ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Grow Old Gracefully

I’d like to tell you about a lady I visited yesterday.   She is ninety-five years young.  She recently moved into nursing home.  She asked one of the workers how many times she would have to walk around the outside of the building in order to walk a mile.  She said the person told her about ten.   Then she leaned in really close and whispered, “I walked around twelve just to be sure I walked a mile.”  Hahahaha! What a lady!  She loves to keep active, even in a nursing home.  As we talked, I saw no anger or bitterness in her speech or actions. There was only a love for God, a heart of compassion, and a sense of humor. She has befriended the one "prickly pear" at the home because as she said, “I have to love her, so she knows Jesus loves her too.”  Wow!!! I need to live like that!  I want to show that much compassion for those around me that need Jesus.  She loved to talk about God and what he was teaching her. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thank You God For Turning Our Ashes into Beauty

There are tragedy and sadness in everyone's life, No one is exempt. Yet, in the midst of the hurt and pain, God is there. He takes the things that hurt us and make us sad and turns them into things are beautiful. The death of my mother  was a tragedy to my dad. However, because of that tragedy, my dad began to see his need for God. In his brokenness, he found a God that could make him whole.  God turned his ashes into beauty. My dad, in turn, taught me to love God.   I am blessed to know God as my savior because of my dad. God also blessed me with a lovely step-mom Life is harsh at times, and many things are sad,  Yet, if we let him, he will take our ashes and make them into a work of art.   He delights in making the ash heaps of our life beautiful.   When we are broken, God is near, and where there is sorrow, he will turn it into dancing.   Thank you, God, F...
Post a Comment
Read more