Happy to See You - Martin Wiles

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Psalm 16:11 NLT

As I walked to the front door, the expression on his face revealed the joy in his heart.

My wife and I were once privileged to keep three of our grandsons. The middle one was almost one, and he was still learning to balance as he walked and now tried to run. When I came home from work each day, he met me at the front door with a huge smile and his arms waving. If I didn’t pick him up immediately, he would cry. However, His older brother was content to continue watching television or doing whatever he was doing.

The psalmist found joy in God’s company presently and looked forward to experiencing the same joy throughout eternity.

Happiness Is Not about What God Does for Us

So often, we tie our happiness in God’s presence to something he has done for us. God promises to supply our needs, and when he comes through, we experience joy. But if he doesn’t provide them as we anticipated or think he should, our happiness is tainted—or even absent. 

Happiness Is about God's Presence

Our goal should be to reach the pinnacle of finding joy in God’s presence, regardless of our circumstances. Additionally, we should relish the relationship itself, even if frills don’t exist.

Happiness Is about Maintaining a First Love

If we’re not careful, the passage of time and busyness can steal our first love for God. My excited grandson’s oldest grandson also once ran to the door to meet me. Age and interest in other things have curtailed his excitement over seeing Pop.

The excited grandson loved for me to stroll him when I first got home. Although his vocabulary was limited, he had ways of letting me know what he wanted. Neither can we have a normal verbal conversation with God, but if we look for joy in his presence, his spirit will speak to ours, and we’ll eventually find joy from simply being in his presence.

Learn to discover your peace and joy in the presence of God.

Father, may your presence in my life be enough to bring me joy. 

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A Serving of Laughter - Anita van der Elst

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. 

~Proverbs 17:22 NLT

Could finding humor in everyday situations be beneficial?

A comedy routine was not what I had in mind as I rolled out the dough. Not that making baking powder biscuits isn’t fun. I enjoy mixing the ingredients, kneading flour into the sticky dough, rolling it out on the breadboard, and cutting out perfect circles that turn into puffy clouds of tastiness. This process is repeated until all the dough is used up, except for those bits that aren’t enough to roll out anymore. Yet, even they don’t go to waste. I ball, flatten, and toss them onto the baking sheet. The oven-baked result is satisfied tummies, signified by smiles.

One evening, as dinner ended, I picked up the bread basket and held it out to my husband, seeing that a couple of biscuits remained. “There are two more biscuits left. Would you like them?” 

The expression on his face was a dubious one. “What’s wrong?” I asked. 

Widening his eyes, he replied, “What happened to them? How did they get that way?” 

I shrugged my shoulders. “What do you mean?” 

He pointed at the biscuits, “Why would I want two more biscuits? Look, they’re all lumpy.” 

I explained how they were the last ones made with the leftover dough. 

“Oh,” he said. “I thought you meant they had tumors. You know, tumor biscuits?” 

That’s when I realized he was pulling my leg. I don’t know why I didn't expect that because he’s pulled it since we started dating almost fifty years ago. In fact, it was one of the factors in his favor. He made me laugh.

With so many things in our world that upset, frighten, confuse, and madden us, finding ways to lift our spirits, cheer our hearts, and bring on giggles is important. Research shows that laughter boosts our immune system, lessens pain, and relieves stress.

Connecting with your funny bone might take an hour listening to a Christian comedian, reading a clean joke book, sharing humorous stories with friends, or even being offered the last of the biscuits. But it's worth it. So, go ahead and take a serving of laughter. 

Think of methods that will bring you a smile and a hearty laugh.

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Joy in the Morning - Martin Wiles

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5 NLT

I had not suffered loss, nor had a doctor delivered a life-threatening speech—yet I grieved.

I had experienced the most life-altering experience I had ever encountered. I didn’t ask for it, but it came anyway. I didn’t want it, but I could not make it go away. I wanted to change the circumstances, but I couldn’t.

I did what Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, in her book, On Death and Dying, proposed people do when they grieve. I went through the five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance—and discovered the truth of her proposals. We may not go through them in the above particular order—and we may waver back and forth between the stages—but pass through them we will.

So I denied. This can’t be happening to me. I’ve done everything right, followed all the rules, acted as a good boy should. Why me? But there came a time when I could no longer deny reality. This was it. My new identity. I had to face the challenge and move forward.

I got angry. Not so much at God—even though He did have the power to change my circumstances. In fact, He could have prevented them. But He didn’t. My anger stemmed because I had done everything right but got hurt anyway.

I bargained. God, if you make this go away, I’ll do anything You ask. I thought I was already doing what God wanted me to do, but I could change directions … be a better person … do more than I was already doing. Whatever it took to change this unpleasant reality into something better.

Then depression set in. I didn’t know it, but the doctor knew. My repeated trips to the emergency room with symptoms that tests proved false clued him in. “Take the medicine, and stop going to the emergency room,” he told me on one such visit. I did.

Finally, I accepted my new reality. I couldn’t change the decisions of another. I had to move on. Adapt. Overcome.

Upon acceptance, joy came in the morning, just as it did for the psalmist. God proved faithful. I didn’t enjoy my circumstances—and they didn’t change—but my perspective did. This was my new life, and I had to make the best of it. 

Whatever your circumstances, let God bring you joy in the morning.

Prayer: Father, we ask for joy in the morning—regardless of our circumstances.

Tweetable: Where does your joy come from? 

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Harvesting Joy - Martin Wiles

The grapevines have dried up, and the fig trees have withered. The pomegranate trees, palm trees, and apple trees—all the fruit trees—have dried up. And the people’s joy has dried up with them. Joel 1:12 NLT

Had the harvest dried up, so would have my grandfathers’ joy.

At twelve years of age, my paternal grandfather inherited a farm. Not because he wanted it, but because his father unexpectedly died, and my grandfather was the oldest boy still at home. With the help of an uncle, and some cantankerous mules, they made a go of the farm. Had the harvest not come in due to unfortunate circumstances, the situation would have devastated my grandfather, his mother, and his brother and sisters, causing their joy to evaporate.

Mom’s dad was also a farmer, but not by force. He chose the occupation and relished every moment of it. He loved to watch cows calve, hogs birth piglets, cotton reveal fluffy white bowls, and soybeans fill their pods. But his joy, too, would have melted away had the harvest not come in. My grandmother didn’t work outside the home. Income from the farm was all they had. A bad harvest meant loss of money—or having to borrow from the bank until next year’s harvest came in.

Famers anticipate the harvest, and when it doesn’t come—for whatever reason—joy vanishes. Joel wrote to those steeped in an agricultural economy—an economy that locusts and drought had destroyed. And while both were an act of nature, they were an act of nature God had sent to punish the people’s disobedience. Now their joy had vanished.

We may use the words joy and happiness interchangeably, but they’re really not. Happiness relates to my circumstances. If everything is going my way, I’m happy. If adverse circumstances haunt me, I’m not.

Joy is happiness taken to a higher level. Joy has nothing to do with my circumstances. This is why Paul could tell us to rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4). I can experience a financial meltdown and still have joy. I can see loved ones die, contract a terminal disease, be abandoned by a spouse, have children rebel, or lose everything I have and still have a sense of joy in my heart.

And not because I can manufacture joy myself, but because God places it deep within my soul when I connect with Him through faith. Joy comes from believing that He controls my circumstances—good and bad—and that He will work things out for my benefit and His glory.

Don’t let circumstances keep you from harvesting joy.

Prayer: Spirit of God, we thank You for giving us an abiding joy, even through the trials of life.

Tweetable: How are you harvesting joy? 

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Happy Is Okay - Martin Wiles

Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Psalm 96:1 NLT

“Many of you walk around, looking as if you’ve been baptized in pickle juice.”

Dad wasn’t always the most positive person when he preached. The above statement evidenced his tendency to major on the negative. I suppose in his many years of ministry, he had witnessed believers who looked as if it Christianity brought misery. Believers consumed with the don’ts more so than the dos. Christians who thought frowns demonstrated signs of holiness.

Somewhat like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. When I read Jesus’ denunciations of them for their hypocritical actions and attitudes, I can’t imagine men who walked around smiling. Frowns and piety were synonyms in their book.

Like Dad, I’ve known quite a few pickle-faced believers—myself included at times. People who seemed to struggle with being a Christian. If following Christ was such a chore, I wondered why they bothered. Rarely did a smile cross their lips at church—or anywhere else I saw them.

Somehow, I don’t picture the psalmist—or Jesus—as men who sauntered around with frowns on their faces. Although I’ve seen it done, singing while frowning seems as if it should be mutually exclusive. How can praise and sadness inhabit the same body at the same time? Not only did the psalmist display joy, but he also wanted the entire world to join him.

I’ve been a Christian for forty-eight years, circulated around many believers, seen Christianity displayed in various ways, and have concluded believers can be happy. In fact, I believe God wants us that way. Sinful living may appear enjoyable—and Satan constantly proposes that idea—but I can live a holy lifestyle and still have fun. I’ve tried it—and it works.

Sin and fun may seem like normal bedfellows, but they are opposites. Jesus enjoyed life. He loved a good party, He loved laughing, and He enjoyed the company of good—and not so good—folks. A fact that drove the pickled-faced religious leaders crazy. But He never sinned while enjoying Himself.

God created us for a relationship with Him—and not a somber one. Putting our eyes on others’ needs instead of our own creates joy. Relishing time spent with Christ through spiritual disciplines gives a base for our joy. And knowing God controls our lives and has a heavenly home waiting for us sustains it.

Don’t worry; be happy. Happy is okay.

Tweetable: Is something stealing your happiness?

Prayer: Father, create in us a spirit of joy so others can see true happiness is only found in a relationship with You. 

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Delighted - Martin Wiles

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4 NLT

The doctor said none, but he said some.

Like his father, Dad loved to eat ice cream—and did every night before he went to bed. At a certain time, he would make his way to the kitchen, place several large scoops in a bowl, and delight in what he loved.

Then he developed heart valve trouble. The doctor instructed him on what he should and should not eat. On the should-not-eat list was what he delighted in the most: ice cream. When the doctor told him to lay off the ice cream, he said, “I’ve been eating ice cream all of my life, and I don’t intend to stop now.” 

Dad kept his word. He continued eating ice cream, though he did cut down on the amount. Instead of a large bowl, he used a smaller bowl. As he prepared for his second heart valve replacement—the one that would lead to his death, he requested a popsicle, the closest thing we could get to ice cream at the moment. And my wife and I gave him his heart’s desire.

The psalmist connects delighting in the Lord with having his heart’s desires met. Evidently, he was right because Jesus would later say, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

To delight in someone is to please them greatly. The way I please God is to love Him with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. All my energy will be focused toward serving Him, praising Him, and honoring Him with my words, actions, and attitudes. This is the condition for Him giving me the desires of my heart.

When I love God with my entire being, the desires I have will match His desires for me. God never promises to give me anything I want. His Word will instruct me on the things I should delight in, so when I ask for anything it will be for those things that will promote my spiritual growth and advance God’s Kingdom in this world.

The list of things I can delight in and desire are myriad, but delighting in the Lord will keep me focused on the most important things.

Delight in the Lord. You’ll be amazed by what He does in your life.

Tweetable: Where are you searching for true happiness? 

Prayer: Father, we take delight in You and anticipate the things You will grant us to do Your work with. 

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Flashback Friday - Martin Wiles

The Jesus Perspective

A negative occurrence or a positive event; it depends on how I interpret it.

Perspective. Defined, it’s my point of view about particular experiences. But I’ve come to realize it can be flawed…or completely erroneous.  I once considered being knocked off my feet for a week by a bleeding ulcer combined with the lengthy recuperation period as an aggravating interruption to my important life. In reality, it helped rearrange my priorities. Having a negative attitude about financial struggles was also perhaps unwise. Struggling with these issues taught me to make better choices in my spending and saving. Read more...

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Be Happy - Martin Wiles

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people to do in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. Ecclesiastes 8:15 NLT

My great grandmother rarely ventured beyond the confines of her bedroom, but she was happy.

As long as I can remember, my great-grandmother—Mammy, lived with my paternal grandparents. Her bedroom was just off the living room of the old home, and in those two rooms she spent most of her days. But she never appeared sad. Crocheting afghans was one of her passions. For weeks and months, she would sit in a straight back white chair, a basket of yarn beside her, an intense smile on her face, and work her needles. Often, she watched Perry Mason on the television while she did so. If not him, a game show. 

When Mammy wasn’t there, she was in her bedroom, sitting on the bed reading her Bible. I often sat with her and had long conversations. 

Mammy was always happy. From today’s vantage point, she appeared to live a somewhat boring lifestyle, but obviously she didn’t think so. She enjoyed the simple things. Wise King Solomon proposed the same: eat, drink, and enjoy life. 

Happiness is a state of mind and not governed by circumstances or things—as Solomon discovered. Things may create happiness in my life for a short time, but eventually—like a child, I tire of them and want something new. And if I wait until circumstances are continually pleasant to get happy, I’ll only experience happiness infrequently. 

A permanent state of happiness—like Mammy possessed, is created through a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. Knowing my sins are forgiven lets me live life with a smile on my face. And I should. I have something to be happy about. This continual state of heart happiness validates my witness to others. If I claim to know Christ yet appear sad all the time, a contradiction occurs. Understanding God loves me unconditionally and that I can never do anything to make Him stop is important for maintaining a smile on my face.

Happiness can also be caught. I caught Mammy’s, and I hope my demeanor—along with the words I write, will help others catch the “Be Happy” attitude too. 

Are you continuously happy, or are you allowing circumstances to govern your smiles?

Prayer: Father, remind us we can live in a state of joy because of what You’ve done in our life. 

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