Happy Heart

I have a happy heart tonight.  All of my adult life, I have encouraged others, especially my children and now my grandchildren, to have a happy heart.  My intention was to teach them that they could choose to be happy in spite of their circumstances.  I wanted them to understand that they might not be able to control the situation, but they could control how they reacted to it. I have one grandchild who has had a particularly difficult time choosing to be happy.  When he comes in the morning I ask him if he brought his “happy heart.” Sometimes he bounces in with a big smile and says “YES!” And sometimes_____ (you fill in the blank)!  But, he is learning that he has the power to choose.  Sadly, that is an important lesson that even some adults never learn.

Elyse Fitzpatrick writes in her book, Idols of the heart,  ”St. Augustine wrote, ’Man’s happiness is God himself…Nothing is better than knowing God. There is nothing sweeter than His love. There is no pleasure greater than worshiping Him.  Nothing is sweeter that His love.  My happiness is found in Him.”  I ask my grandson, “When you are happy, who is happy besides you?”  He is learning that he makes others happy when he is happy, and that Jesus is happy when he is happy too.

I am especially happy tonight because I received another good report from the doctor.  I had another MRI and appointment with the chemo doctor.  He said everything looked good, that I am still very stable.  I will thankfully accept that as the hand of God in my life.  But if I had received a negative report, I would still praise God.  There is no sweeter or more peaceful place to be than in His hands.  We are already there anyway!