Happy. Truly Happy.

This year for Thanksgiving, our church had a Devotional. 

As usual, there was only a small group who attended.

(But hopefully word will get out and it will get bigger…

This was the first one…)

It was the brainchild of our seminary teacher.

(Their ward back in Utah used to do it, and she loved the idea…)

She gave an excellent mini-lesson on thankfulness.

She is a great teacher – the kids are lucky to have her start their day each day!

One thing she asked us to do was focus on the first person who

Popped into your mind when she said the word “Happy”.

I know LOTS of happy people.

Specifically in my family.

We are a happy family.

We are absolutely NOT perfect.

If you look closely, each member of my family has issues.

Plenty of them.

But, without a doubt, the first person who popped in my head

Was my sister, Nancy.

(In this picture she is freezing, sitting on a bleacher, and suffering from

RAGING FOOD POISONING.

Do NOT order takeout Chinese in a strange city from a hotel…)

Typical of the other members of our family (and probably yours as well)

She has had her share (and more) of challenges.

But through it all,

She smiles.

Back to the devotional.

Sister Samuels asked us to each think of WHY that person was happy.

I immediately thought how blessed Nancy is to have a STRONG core family. 

And close friends. 

And the gospel. 

She makes sure to start each day with prayer and scripture and meditation.

And to touch base with each family member (multiple times)

and with her several friends.

And no matter what is going on in her life, she is always serving others.

But then, as we went around the room, Brother Samuels said something profound.

(He does that a lot…)

He said the person he was thinking about had NO reason to be happy at the moment.

But he said, this person had made a conscious decision to BE happy.

Hmmmmmm

Yup. 

I like that.

I know that, in my own life, that is a decision I made years ago.

Life is what it is.

You can focus on all the “wah, wah, look at what is happening”

Or

You can wake up each day and DECIDE that right now

In this moment

You are going to be HAPPY.

And Nancy is a great ambassador for that.

Way to go Nanc!

LOVE YOU!