selfless happiness

"The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish is misguided. It's more selfless to act happy. It takes energy, generosity, and discipline to be unfailingly lighthearted, yet everyone takes the happy person for granted. No one is careful of his feelings or tries to keep his spirits high. He seems self-sufficient; he becomes a cushion for others. And because happiness seems unforced, that person usually gets no credit. I know a fortunate few people -- such as my father -- who seem naturally sunny-tempered. Now I wonder how effortless this really is." [The Happiness Project p.217]

Ultimately, from where does someone's happiness stem?

 

"For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy." Psalm 92:4

Happiness.

Define happiness.

No really, try and define happiness in a way that would be completely accurate for everyone. I suppose it would have something to do with having pleasant feelings toward something or someone. Or maybe it is a positive experience instead of something more negative. But what is it that makes us happy? Are we more or less prone to be happy based on are circumstances? Are certain people inherently more happy than others?

Samuel Johnson says, "The business of the wise man is to be happy." Does this mean wise people are happy? Or are happy people wise?

Recently I have been reading the book The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin, thus, my thoughts about happiness. The author conducts all this research about what makes people happy and how she can use that information to make herself happier in a 12-month experiment. (She admits that she's not really unhappy, it's more that she wants to truly appreciate life by being happy.) Each month she sets a goal for things that she wants to do- boost energy, lighten up, make time for friends, etc. and then keeps track of what she actually does and how it affects her happiness. I'm about halfway through this book and I'd recommend it!

All that to say, what makes me happy? Why am I a happy person? God has blessed me with a wonderful family, a job I love, great friends, and so much more. Would I be so happy if my situation was different? Am I more naturally inclined to look at the glass half-full or did I learn how to do that? Don't get me wrong, I definitely have my moments of sadness but generally I'd say I'm a rather happy person.

So what makes me happier or unhappier than the next person?
My head hurts from trying to figure happiness out.

Undeserving Love

After reading Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts, a few years ago I have been trying to be much more intentional about finding things in my life that I am thankful for. To tell you the truth, its hard not to find things that I am thankful for! Once you start looking you realize that there is more to be thankful for than not and that life is really much better than we ever would deserve. Thank you Jesus for your blessings even when we fall short of deserving them.

At church today we watch an episode from this series called What's in the Bible? and it was all about King David and King Solomon (talk about some guys who really didn't deserve God's grace!). These are always tricky stories to teach to elementary school kids...What do you mean he had more than one wife? Why did he kill that man? Isn't David a man after God's own heart? Does that mean it's okay for us to do that stuff too? (Okay so maybe a kindergartner wouldn't ask some of those questions, but a 3rd or 4th grader? Absolutely.) I am always so impressed with this series because they don't gloss over anything and are still able to tell it in a kid appropriate way. For example, this episode talks about David committing adultery, which means he stole someone else's wife. And then to cover up that adultery he had someone killed, or committed murder. BUT they also explained that he repented, asked God to forgive him, and wanted a clean heart (Psalm 51). While God still loves us when we sin or make bad choices, that doesn't mean there won't be consequences. If we lie to our boss, God will still love us but we might lose our job. If we hurt a friend, God will still love us, but that person might not trust us to be their friend...etc.

What a great way to describe these stories in a kid-friendly way. Just because God will always forgive us and always love us doesn't mean it is okay to hurt someone or do something God told us not to. We must also suffer the consequences of our actions. In the end we talked about which king we would want to be like, David who repented? or Solomon who turned away from God?

Neither of these kings deserved God's love or mercy, just like we don't deserve it either. I can't even wrap my mind around these kinds of things. Why does God keep loving us crazy people who continually do stupid things? I am thankful for these examples of people who lived before us. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to repent when I make poor choices. And I am thankful that God is always there and is always faithful. Most of the time I'm not even able to describe what it means that God is faithful, but there is a peace about it, that I know everything will be okay. I know that I am not responsible for planning my future alone. I have the ultimate designer and creator guiding my future.

"You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 118:28-29

This season of life.

Let's start this post by saying my apartment smells gloriously like peanut butter because I just made a double batch of these peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Oh.my.word. SO good!

Life has been busy and calm all at the same time lately. And since a picture says a thousand words, I'm going to let my pictures speak for me.

My best friend got married!! Everything was absolutely beautiful- the bride, the ceremony, the marriage, and of course the bridal party ;)

So thankful for my daddy. 

The roomie graduated from SPU (oh, and she's TEACHING there in the fall) Ridiculously proud of this girl!

Mom and Dad came for a visit in June. It was great to spend time with them in Seattle.

I've been loving the Magnolia Farmer's Market just a mile or so away from my house. A few weeks ago I bought fresh raspberries and made yummy jam. Farmers market fresh homemade jam...makes me feel like the pioneer woman. haha

4th of July weekend was full of food, family, and friends in California. I'm SO glad I got to see these two wonderful women while I was home!

Flying back to Seattle from the Long Beach Airport. Seriously, my favorite airport ever.

Celebrating a new baby!! Loved showering this family and sharing this journey with them as they anticipate the arrival of their little girl. 

Another celebration! But this time for a birthday...half a century right, Meg? ;)

Less then a dozen pictures and so many important people in my life! Seriously, these are the people who have helped to shape me into the person that I am today. They have laughed with me, cried with me, and been there for me no matter what is happening in my life. I am truly blessed by the people I call friends and love being able to celebrate their weddings, babies, birthdays, and more.

It seems like everyone I know is getting engaged, married, having a baby, buying a house, or doing something else exciting and life changing. What am I doing you ask? Welp, I'm still trying to figure that out. I've been researching grad schools in California to get a Master's in Teaching and a teaching credential...So that's the current plan for next year-ish. I'm really excited about the idea of moving back to California and becoming a teacher there, but it also terrifies me. Seattle has finally started to feel like home and where I thought I would be for a while... and now I'm looking at changing ALL of that.

But isn't that what life is about? Get comfortable and bam! life changes! Through all these changes and unknowns I know that one thing stays the same. God is faithful. He will not leave me or forsake me. I know that his plans are bigger and better than anything I could come up with by myself. I am thankful for this confidence because I couldn't imagine going through life without knowing that there is a God who has taken care of everything for me. No matter where the future takes me, I am thankful for each season that the Lord provides.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

This is my life...

Okay, yes, I sound dramatic. BUT if you knew all the people in my life you would agree! More blogging to come later. When I'm not about to fall asleep and my computer isn't about to die.

Good night, world.