July 5, 2016 (Tuesday)
Yesterday’s blog was entitled, “Happy 4th of July.” Today it is, “Happy 5th of July.” What’s the occasion? None. Can’t I wish a happy day for you? Does there have to be a special reason? My reason is that, whoever you are, this is what I want to wish for you: a happy day. I can wish this for you, but it will be up to you to make it so.
How can you do it? I suggest:
1. Allow it to happen. You may feel it’s not OK to be happy when so many in the world are suffering. I assure you, if you have ever had a happy day in your life, it took place when millions of people were suffering. That’s the way the world is. Do what you can to make it better, but don’t let it keep you from enjoying your own life.
2. Spend time with the Lord with devotional reading in the Bible and other inspirational writings, and pray, especially thanking the Lord for his presence in your life.
3. Count your blessings. The song has it right: “it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”
4. Smile. Laugh if possible. Find something humorous and enjoy it.
5. Learn to recognize a negative thought when it first sticks its ugly nose into your day. Pounce on it like a cat on a rat and shoo it away. Think about its opposite and welcome a positive thought in place of the negative one.
6. Be sure to interact with at least one other person today. In a positive way.
7. Think and do whatever it takes, as long as it’s not morally wrong. This is just a random list. Incomplete. Not really thought through. The main idea is that it’s up to you whether you have a happy 5th of July.
8. In writing this, I found stuff on the internet like “25 ways to be happy,” “6 ways to find happiness today,” etc. Read some of those. They can’t hurt. They will probably help.
9. Write down other things that you think of, that ought to be included here. You may be surprised at how good you are at this sort of thing.
If you can’t be happy today, for goodness’ sake, don’t let your bad attitide rub off on some other poor soul.
What takes place in your own mind and heart today is up to you.
Happy 5th of July! ..and 6th! ..and 7th! ..and..