Happiness Is...

"Happiness is not something ready made, it comes from your own actions.”     - Dalai Lama XIV

Happiness is choosing to smile on days when it’s hard to forget the pain.  

My family went to Island Park the day after my dad’s funeral in July.  Some close family friends of ours insisted that we take the keys to their cabin for a few days.     

Nate and Emmy have only been newlyweds for about five months now.  They are so fun to be around.  I love them. :)

Happiness is walking hand in hand.

Happiness is 'not crying because it’s over, but smiling because it happened.’  - Dr. Suess

Their beautiful vintage wedding reception happened back in April...  

I personally think happiness is little girls with cute hairdos...

and kisses that last a little too long. :)

Happiness is a visit from your mom…seeing how beautiful and strong she is for all of us.

Happiness is taking your son to the dentist for the very first time... 

and styling your girls’ hair like cupcakes for crazy hair day at school.   

There is good all around us.  We can’t be truly happy unless we’ve experienced the unhappy at times.  I hope that I can always remember to choose happiness.  Life can be ugly and hard, but I know that when we rely on our Savior every hour, every moment…peace and happiness do come.

A weekend with the Wolfleys

My dad was a faithful reader of my blog, and with each post I write, I’ll yearn for his commentary.  He’d usually text me a comment or two the day after one of my posts just to tell me that he saw it...and that he loved it.  “Man, I sure enjoy your blog - the kids are growing up fast - unreal!” he’d always say.

As I move forward without my dad’s reassurance, it’s the little things that I’ll continue to miss and treasure.  My priorities have realigned instantaneously simply because of the way he lived his life.  As I continue to blog, I hope my kids know just how much I value their journey, as my dad did mine.    

We spent the 4th of July with Jared’s family at the Wolfley homestead.  As all the grandkids get a little older each year, it’s neat to see their relationships as cousins turn into friendships.  They love spending time together, and since they don’t have the opportunity to see each other very often, they don’t waste a minute when they’re together.  

I hope a few of these cheerful pictures bring some sunshine to your day.  

I don’t know about those motorcycles, but I’ll be all over that yellow tube next year. ;)

Being Cheerful Again

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be cheerful.  I have a great deal of admiration for those who choose to be cheerful. I’m referring to the optimist whose disposition is positive, full of hope, happy and grateful in all things.   

Traumatic events have a tendency to zap cheer out of our lives.  I’m pretty sure I know what this feels like, but without discrediting the real pains of any trial, it’s possible to feel the balm of true joy amidst the deep sorrow.  I have experienced the discouragement and despair that are often common companions of adversity, but I’ve also found that when I am filled with the Spirit of God, I feel peace and happiness in the darkest of days.

The words to one of my favorite hymns conveys my feelings - “I believe in Christ, so come what may!”  I am grateful for my trials and the opportunity they allow me to prove my faith in His plan for my family.  The adversary knows that when my thoughts allow anger, pity, and gloom to dominate, my whole demeanor reflects bitterness, and with a savor like that, how effective am I?  Unfortunately, the germ of discouragement is much more powerful than any of us realize, and it’s important to treat it just as quickly as we would treat even the tiniest identifiable cell of cancer.    

Fake it until we make it?  Perhaps.  Give more hours of service?  Maybe.  But I think the real trick to being sincerely cheerful lies in constantly recognizing the true purpose of mortality...with faith in every footstep and a bold acceptance of His will in all things.

Maybe it should be faith it until we make it.

“Our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments.  There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us.”  

The prophet of the world, President Thomas S. Monson