Well, it’s Saturday and time to settle in my fellow bloggers at Kate’s place (http://katemotaung.com/2016/08/04/five-minute-friday-happy-celebrating-two-years-hosting-fmf-with-a-special-guest-and-a-giveaway/). You know, it’s where we go to ferret out our thoughts on a specific prompt word in just five minutes. It’s amazing what comes out … not always great but always honest.

This week, the word is HAPPY. You can really go in a lot of directions — and some of the hundreds who join me in this exercise have taken most of them — with the word. I chose to follow through on the first thing that crossed my pea brain. Well, actually, I peeked Thursday night following Kate’s tease. But this was the result this morning

So, here goes. The timer is set, GO …

I found myself clapping in the kitchen this morning with the tune, “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands” swirling in my head. Kinda strange before coffee.

But I was happy and the prompt triggered the song … which made me clap.

Typically I am a happy person. Does that mean I always have a smile on my face and do happy dances in my heart? Well, I generally do have a smile on my face and my heart kinda dances to its own happy beat, but there are times when I want that smile to frown and sulk. Not often, mind you, but I have my moments when I just don’t feel like doing the happy dance.

I usually solve that angst by driving — anywhere! If I get behind the wheel, I can get lost finding my happiness center. I guess you could call wheel-sitting as attending My Church. If I have a happy destination in place — like the ocean –it’s My Cathedral.

Over the years, I and others have tried to figure out why and how I can be so optimistic. I don’t know if any of us have, but I think it’s because, despite all the gloom and doom, the downs that inevitably follow the highs, I have trust in an Anchor I know keeps me grounded. I know I’m not going to drift too far away from port. I know the winds and rain and storms might buffet me, but I’m safe. So, with that confidence, why should I worry? It’s a heck of lot more fun being happy … STOP

… The exercise also reminded me of one of my first sermons. If you’re interested, it’s at Joy … Joy … Joy (https://wisdomfromafather.com/2013/02/10/joy-joy-joy/).

The pulpit story was built around Pollyanna of all things. Pollyanna looked for the bright clouds. As she told Rev. Ford in the movie, there are 800 happy texts in the Bible … texts of joy or gladness. “If God told us 800 times to be glad and rejoice,” she said, “He must have wanted us to do it.” Rev. Ford went to the pulpit the next day and corrected the young girl. There are 826 passages, he said, and he intending to dwell on one each week for the … well, it equates to the next 16 years or so.

Life happens. It’s cyclical. There are good times and bad times. There are times when you want to stay huddled under the covers. But there is a time to shout with joy when morning light pierces that darkness … or clap you hands to the tune of “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands” swirling in your head.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: What if we put our trust in God and not in the number on our bank account statement.