I listened to my friend Kim talk for about an hour this morning about one of those major dilemmas we all face occasionally. Not that you or I have ever faced the exact same dilemma she is up against this morning, just that we all face cruddy situations of one sort or another. It’s one of those tough spots that you can’t get out of by just blinking three times or shooing it away with a wave of your hand. It’s going to take some open communication (makes me shake in my mules!), some tough love, a few new boundaries, a little hard work, and, heaven forbid, time. Don’t you just hate it when you find yourself smack dab in the middle of one of those sticky situations that quite honestly you didn’t cause or invite, but you have to help clean up?
So Kim griped and complained poured out her heart and vented her frustrations to me for a while and I gave her my opinion my attentive ear and shared my three step plan for how to solve it all her burden with sympathy and compassion. Because that’s what good friends do. And I am nothing if not a good friend!
Then, as the conversation lifted and I could tell (even over the 900 miles our phone conversation was spanning) that Kim was beginning to get a grip a little perspective, she said with a little more cheer in her voice, “Isn’t it funny how the little things can make you feel so happy even when other things are bringing you down?”
Yes, yes, I thought, I’m sure a simple conversation with her best friend has indeed made Kim feel so much better. I wouldn’t call myself a “little thing,” but hey who’s getting hung up on word choice? I knew she meant that the hour spent on the phone with me had really ministered to her spirit and restored her joy.
Wrong.
Kim continued, “This little book shelf that I put together this week just makes me so happy!”
Excuse me?
Then I remembered my very sanguine friend telling me about how over the course of two nights she had assembled a very simple book shelf from Walmart so she’d have somewhere to put all of her books. Now Kim is not a big reader, but she has recently finished her masters degree in counseling and become a licensed Christian counselor and has thus begun collecting a number of resources to recommend to and work through with her clients. So, needing a place to put all of these new books, Kim bought a shelfing unit. Then she proceeded to refuse her husband’s offer to put the book shelf together and insisted that she assemble it by herself.
Did I mention that Kim is quite sanguine? I don’t know if she thought the shelf was a party-in-a-box or what, but she was definitely out of her league. On Monday night she stomped away from the partially assembled shelf in disgust. Obviously it was not talking back to her. The next day she finished the shelf with pieces to spare.
And now she was telling me, the friend who had listened and advised sympathized, that this little shelf was “making her happy.” Go figure.
But then Kim explained. (Good thing since our friendship was in the balance at this point.)
“I look at that little shelf and all of my books are on it so nicely. It makes me feel like everything is where it should be, like I have a little order in the chaos. It just makes me feel happy.”
I get that. Do you?
Indeed, during our dark moments, our times of confusion, those days when nothing is going right, our tough times, it is often the littlest things that can lift our spirits and make us happy, even if only for a moment. Little beacons of light that remind us that all is not lost, this isn’t quite as big or bad as you think it is, and, hey, at least your books are on a shelf!
I took a look at my bloggy friend Carpool Queen’s blog before I started writing this post and turns out she’s having a fun give-away if you can tell her “what makes you feel skippy.” That’s her term for happy. I entered and you ought to too.Chick-fil-a gift cards are a good incentive to head over there.
But before you do, I too would like to know what little things make you happy. I’ll list a few of mine and then you do tell!
- I love it when all of the things I’m making for dinner come out of the oven, microwave, stovetop, etc. at the same time.
- It makes me happy when my daughter calls me Mommy – she’s 16 and that’s still her name of choice for me.
- It made me really happy when I bought a pair of $78 pants from Ann Taylor (not Loft) last summer for $5.25. I bet that would make you happy too!
- A clean house makes me very skippy.
- My parents coming for a visit perhaps makes me the skippiest of all (hint, hint).
So what about you? When you’re in the middle of dealing with a dilemma or toughing it through another hard day or just dealing with the stuff of life, what breaks through the barrier and “makes you happy?”
Comments are still counting toward the big 100th blog post giveaway – so post away!
And have a great weekend everyone! You bless me!
Small things make me happy, too. Often just dipping my toes in a river or stream or gazing upon a flower that has just blossomed softens my heart.
Blessings, andrea
three small things that make me happy…
1. a can of Coke,
2. finding a whole paper dollar in a pocket/purse,
3. my Starbucks mug
4. starting laundry and finding both the washer and dryed empty
5. a nice smelling candle 9hey – it can at least smell clean, even if it doesnt look clean!)
Forever anonymous,
Amanda Garner, in NC
Things that make me happy….
1) my children playing nicely together!
2) my baby's sweet toothy grin.
3) a great sale on something I just had to have!
4) a card or phone call from a friend for no reason but than they were thinking about me
5) I also LOVE when my parents visit!! 🙂
I feel really "skippy" today because it's a beautiful day here in Texas. Spring has finally sprung! I love the smells and sounds of spring, the fresh flowers I picked off the side of the road (and yes it was legal), and the birds chirping away outside on my porch.
And yes, my black bookshelf that I put together myself, makes me feel very accomplished and organized, which is not one of my strong points!
Although I do like the concept of a part in a box.
Love ya
meant "party in a box"
Kay — Aren't friends that give you the space to show your true colors, and still call you friend, the BEST?
1. Finding the silver lining makes me feel skippy.
2. Using sentences with my favorite words makes me feel skippy, i.e. serendipitous and colossal to name a couple.
3. The very first sip of coffee in the morning definitely makes me feel skippy.
Pollen free air makes me skippy.
Being the first one to dip the spoon into a new jar of peanut butter makes me happy.
Having the laundry baskets empty, even for just a couple of minutes makes me crazy-wild!
Watching my kids play outside.
Nap time.
Hi Kay,
What makes me happy? Hmmm, I have to think about this one. What comes to my mind right now is….
(1) Starbucks coffee with hazelnut creamer and splenda first thing in the morning;
(2) Having my sweet cat jump in my lap and begin purring;
(3) Stepping on the scale and noticing the number going down little by little;
(4) The morning sunshine and hearing the birds chirping;
and just today,
(5) Discovering that a Dunkin Donuts is right next to my Army Reserve unit!!! 🙂
God Bless You, too!
1. My middle son walked in the door from college and sat at the kitchen counter for 30 minutes (before he took off to find his friends)= skippy.
2. My oldest son (who is in his second year at West Point) still calls me "mama"= skippy.
3.Today was a sunny 73 degrees and I could leave my doors wide open (because the mosquitos have yet to arrive) and the house was peacefully silent except for the off-tune whistle of a sparrow in the garden = skippy.
4. When i win the giveaway = skippy.
1. Driving over the causeway! I LOVE where I live, I LOVE the rivers and ocean, and I LOVE that God made them for me to enjoy! OH, they are just beautiful!!! Everytime I am near them I feel so happy!!
2. My 4 year old wanting "snuggles" (She is not the snuggly type of child)
3. My baby boys (twins) playing together and giggling. OH, it is so darn sweet. Lights up my world! (until they turn and bite each others heads! haha)
4. Talking to hubby (in Afghanistan) on phone. Just knowing he's safe = happy!
Kay, I'm so grateful for your prayers and honored that you took the time to comment on my blog. Thank you.
You mentioned Ann Taylor…..I absolutely love that store (well, finding their clothes on sale to fit a minister's family budget ;). When we lived in FL, we were a couple hours away from an Ann Taylor OUTLET store. Oh, what a treasure!!!!!!!!
Thank you, again!
Thanks for the post earlier, Kay. Welcome to my little blog. Glad to have you.
I must say, I was more than happy to provide a Monday night distraction for Kim when she was doing her stomping over the wayward bookshelf. Although, what I call providing a distraction, most would call whining about the same thing for oh, about the 1000th time. Thanks Kim 🙂 Glad it finally came together!
Hmm… Things that make me 'skippy'…
1. My little dog Lucy does this ridiculous yodeling thing – I love it. We call it singing around here. She's going places, that one.
2. Hearing a new song on my favorite radio station (KVNE 89.5 out of Tyler) that makes me feel like God is singing directly to my heart.
3. Two words – New Shoes!
4. Having someone comment on my blog (thanks, Kay!)
5. Knowing that I am forgiven!
holding Mr. Incredible's hand
the sound of my boys playing basketball/football/baseball outside
the owls hoot outside my window
my "anniversary" tree
diet coke
What makes me happy?
a good book
Diet Dr. Pepper
cake (preferable chocolate)
finding a great deal
doing something unexpected for someone else
and lastly, if I could actually fit in something at Ann Taylor….I'd be beyond happy :0) LOL
Best friends are very important! And love that simple things can make me smile!! That is the best on ANY day!
1. I used to take the sun for granted. No more!
Sunny days make me very skippy.
2. Coffee with a friend.
3. Seeing my wash baskets empty.
4. waking up my girls in the morning…I love their cuddly looks in bed.
5. cuddling up with my honey and (watching a movie/reading a book/chatting about the day)
Great blog, Kay… (AGAIN!)
Deb Gunsch
Today I am happy because some lady called up Josh to say she was getting rid of a lot of stuff and knew we could use stuff to make more stuff, Now ,I never considered myself to be materialistic, but I am! It just isn't expensive materialistic, but oh, was I so so skippy to get a bunch of junk and it made her so happy to know we love her junk, so now I have to make a lot of more stuff… with this junk or I will be sad I have so much stuff… anyway, I am happy most of the time because I am lucky (blessed)that way! Lezlee
What makes me happy?
1. Phone calls from my sons.
2. My husband's attention.
3. Cuddling.
4. A card or note in my mailbox.
5. A foot rub.
6. To have my house clean.
🙂