Finding Happy Pt. II

Posted on July 3, 2007
Filed Under Uncategorized, Life, Ministry, Singing, Goals, Fulfillment, Work |

This past weekend is a complete blur for me. On Thursday, Dave LeMieux and House of Soul flew to California for a live recording . . . and that’s exactly what we did for four days, non-stop.

We played, sang, rehearsed, worshiped, and recorded, only stopping for the occasional meal every now and again . . . oh and sleep once and a while. By Sunday night the band and sound engineers were pretty well spent, emotionally drained, and exceedingly satisfied.

I can honestly say that I can’t remember working so hard, so continuously and being so exhausted and yet having such a feeling of aim, purpose, fulfillment and exhilaration at the same time.

“Do what makes you happy.” I understand Monique’s conundrum about Rev. Jeanette’s advice . . . happiness can be so fleeting, so ephemeral, and its pursuit might even lead us down some wrong roads . . . eating sweet potato pie makes me happy; eating too much of it makes me fat.

Solomon, by the time he was old, grumpy and jaded had some of the same, complicated thoughts about happiness that he shared in some verses in Ecclesiastes:

Ecclesiastes 3:12
I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.

Ecclesiastes 5:19
Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 7:14
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.

Ecclesiastes 11:9
Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.

Finding happy apart from God feels rife with hedonism and conjures imagery from the 60’s Free Love movement - if it feels good, do it kinda thing, but finding happy in the light of God feels like an invitation to sorts of other good things like purpose, joy, fulfillment, and mission. That’s the happy I want, and that’s the happy I experienced this weekend creating excellent music with like-minded brothers and sisters in Christ until the wee hours of the night for four nights, staving off complaining, ego, and pride and simply flowing in God’s purpose for this project.
I won’t quote it exactly right, but Dave LeMieux, the leader of this ragtag band of singers and musicians, says something like this, “I want to die tired.” The implication being doing the work that God gives him to do. I do too. I want to die tired, and happy.

“Do what makes you happy.”

When I got home and after taking a long nap, I twisted my son Cole’s dreadlocks. As he sat at my feet while my fingers worked their way through his long, beautiful hair I felt happy in the time we shared and I took a moment within myself to enjoy it. Then, when I crawled into my own bed with my hubby next to me, I acknowledged my happiness at the familiarity of his body next to mine and I said a thank you within my heart. And, as I got up this morning, I was happy at the thought of writing this blog and sharing it with you. Finding happy, indeed.

“Do what makes you happy.”

I think I’ll do just that, one decision at a time. You should too. It might not be for four solid days, it might be for four hours, or four minutes . . . still . . . do it.

Peace and Blessings,

Nicole Walters