How To Choose Happiness (When You Don’t Want To Be)

Well, we have officially entered into the Christmas Season. It is, after all, after Thanksgiving (or should I say Black Friday)? Either way we are on our way, whether we like it or not, toward Christmas.

For some, this is a joyous, happy, exciting time. For others it may be a hard, somewhat painful period. Let’s face it – life is full of hurt.

At times we may face disappointment in our family and the idea of celebrating anything is not even realistic. There may be relationships that have been broken and seemingly no mend in sight. Then simply just the struggles of life may pile up leaving us overwhelmed.

I will tell you upfront that I am a “glass half FULL” girl, and see things as an opportunity not an obstacle. But I have had times that have knocked the wind out of my sail. My personal relationship with Jesus Christ pulls me through everyday.

But He always asks ME to take a step or make a move. Even when I don’t think I can. Even when I don’t want to.

Your happiness is a choice. There have been times that I did not want to be happy. But I can choose to think happy thoughts. I can choose to be thankful.

I want to share with you a choice I had to make to be “happy and let things be” that is now a treasured memory.

“A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one.”

Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NLT)

A week before Thanksgiving, we celebrated our “family” Thanksgiving. Our son Mark, his wife Katie, and our grandson James came to visit, they live in Mississippi. Our daughter Missy and her husband and their three children, Andi, Luci and Max live in Minnesota but we spent four full days doing activities and eating lots of food and a lot of time at Mema’s house. (I’m Mema.)

On the first evening of family fun, I went downstairs and it was a huge sight (I’m being nice here). The grandkids were playing with about 100 action figures and they had each created their own village and there were toys everywhere and pillows…

I’m not going to kid you, I got a little tense inside. (Didn’t they realize I had just organized and put everything where it belonged before they came, so they could find the toys and play with them.) Sounds silly now, right.

I had to make a choice though. And I only know this because I have allowed my mind to travel down this road before.

In a few day, James and his mom and dad were flying back to Mississippi. After every one goes home I can go clean and organize things again. But right then, the cousins had time to play and spend with each other. So, I let them play. I let them have fun. I wasn’t the nagging grandma. Everyone had fun.

It truly is a treasured memory.

I saw this on FaceBook and thought it was worth sharing with you.

I am Grateful for…

• Early wakeups = children to love
• House to clean = safe place to live
• Laundry = clothes to wear
• Dirty dishes = food to eat
• Crumbs under the table = family meals
• Shopping to do = money to spend
• Toilets to clean = Indoor plumbing
• Lots of noise = kids having fun
• Endless questions = children learning
• Getting into bed sore and tired = I’m still alive

(Chelsea Lee Smith, MomentsADay.com)

You can do it. You can choose your outlook in each situation you face.

What have you had to make a “choice” about during the holidays?