Happiness and Joy walked into a cafe. Happiness was excited because this was a favorite eating place she hadn’t been to for awhile. Joy was pleased to have this time with Happiness. Happiness was a bit perturbed when her favorite waitress was too busy to say stop and chat. In fact, the server seemed to be in a bad mood. Happiness frowned at her the whole time she took the order. Joy thanked the server for taking the order. Happiness made chit chat with Joy while they waited for their food, commenting rather loudly how rude the server was to her. “She didn’t even ask how I was or about my new sweater!” exclaimed Happiness. Joy listened attentively.
When the server returned with the order, Happiness said, “Well it is about time!” Joy said to the server, “We are going to ask a blessing on our food. Could we pray for you?” The server looked surprised at the offer and answered, “You would do that? I just found out my son has to have surgery. I’m so worried about him and about how we will pay for it!” Happiness felt a little sheepish for not asking the server about her family. Joy held the server’s outstretched hand and said a simple blessing. Turning to their food when the server left, Happiness said, “Can you believe this? The toast is burnt!” Joy said quietly, “I learned the secret of enjoying burnt toast awhile ago.” Joy snapped back, “Enjoy burnt toast? You gotta be kidding!” Proceeding to explain, Joy said, “I read an article about these people who didn’t have enough to eat. In fact, the whole family had less to eat than what I would typically have for a meal all to myself. So I made a promise that for thirty days I would give thanks for whatever I had to eat. The next morning I burnt my breakfast toast. I started to complain to myself but stopped and gave thanks for it, acknowledging that others in the world would be grateful for this morsel of burnt toast.” “How is that thirty day trial going for you?” asked Happiness. “Really well,” replied Joy. “It’s been about ten years now, and even though I don’t intentionally burn my toast it still brings a smile to my face when I do.”
Happiness enjoyed the rest of her meal, despite the burnt toast. When they got ready to leave she left a few coins for a tip. Joy quietly slipped a rather large tip under the plate with a short note of thanks on the receipt.
. . . .
In a world that eagerly seeks happiness, wouldn’t you rather have a little JOY in your life?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23