She sat a small orange on my desk with the words, “Here’s a happy for you”, and kept on walking.
I stopped working and sat for a moment as I breathed in those words, “Here’s a happy for you”. Did my sweet friend know how much my heart longed for happy?
I peeled the orange and tasted the sweet, tangy juiciness and the deep parts of me settled down in that space. A heavy heart, begin to feel a little lighter. Was I that worn down and empty? If I was, how could a simple orange and a five little words move me?
The orange tasted lovely, a smile began to emerge from the inside. I needed a “happy” busting into my normal routine where I felt stuck and stale. I needed reminding of the sweetness of friendship, the treasure of thinking of others, and the beauty of the simple things in life.
Having not grown up in the South the term, “Here’s a happy” caught me off guard the first time I heard someone use the phrase.
The words are like a trumpet blowing and proclaiming happiness in the act of giving. It sets the receiver up to experience “happy”, simply because “happy” has been spoken forth. Oh, how we must learn to speak into our future what we want to see, not what we are seeing. Speak it in prayer, speak it over ourselves, and speak it over others.
Voice the future you want to see, not what you are seeing.
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“You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways. Job 22:28
When we focus on our discontentment, frustration, anger, pain, circumstances, or people that we feel are causing our problems – we lose “happy” – we lose joy.
Just before Christmas there were things that hit our family both financially and emotionally. At Christmas, really? It felt like someone was squeezing the life and hope out of me at the time, stripping away the light-hearted joy I so wanted to live, give, and walk in.
Circumstances can be frustrating, but really it was my reaction to them that was the worst part. This is not what I wanted to hear at the time of course. I know this and yet, the trap awaits and I fell again. I’m thankful for true friends who allow me to voice how I feel, not judging, but loving me through those tough feelings.
We all need a listening ear to validate and understand the emotions of our heart, even if they are mixed up and turned around.
You and I are only human, and yes, often we have to work through our feelings before we can turn them around. The vomiting of emotion comes and then we must work our way back to hope.
So it’s okay, vomit, and then clean yourself up and move on. Keep moving forward, God has more for you and I than what we can see, understand, or know.
“The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.” Psalm 33:13-15
I’m so thankful God understands, loves on us where we are, and then beautifully speaks into our lives, so ultimately he can move us to see His way – the better way.
I needed the gentle nudge from, Abba Father, saying, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and DON’T GET WORKED UP about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. Matthew 6:34 the Message
Okay, I can breathe. Those words, “don’t get worked up” could not have been spoken to my heart, straight from God’s Word, at a more perfect time. We all need to stop working ourselves up and turn to the One who is working things out.
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Deep within I just imagined myself crawling up in my Heavenly Father’s lap and finding hope in the truth of “don’t get worked up”.
His Word is life giving, like a huge shout out to our soul that we crave to know and hear again, “I got you daughter – I will help you – rest in me!”
God longs for his sons and daughters, for his children to take the “happy” he has for each one of us everyday. He’s offering it in love. It may be as simple as taking notice of the moment a friend hands you an orange, or remembering to take time with the One who knows and loves your heart, because he created it.
In this New Year that is approaching look for the “happy”, partake of the “happy”, proclaim the “happy” until you see the “happy”.
Join me on the journey!
Joelle
P.S. God is so faithful. Christmas came to our family differently this year, but in such a special, heartfelt way that brought true, inner joy, laughter, and a deep gratitude. There were tears of joy which does not always happen on Christmas day in the Povolni household. Thank you Abba Father!
It was a perfectly, imperfect Christmas – it was the better way – His way.
