Days 4 & 5: 100 Happiest Days

 Happiness is hard work. Happiness is providence that only the Lord can provide. My heart was opened to these truths through these verses: 

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the dayis the evil thereof.

If we take the time to truly consider the tender mercies shown daily by a loving Father in Heaven, we will realize that just as he tends to the lilies of the fields, Oh how He has a desire to provide and care for us. We need to trust in that devotion He feels, and show that same devotion in return. 

Finding joy in the journey, 

Calli

Day 3: 100 Happiest Days

Dear Journal, 
  
  Today I found another reason to be happy. Today I am happy to have a roof over my head. I am happy to have a warm place to sleep, and to live. I think there are many times in life that we take for granted the things that we have, the little knicks and knacks that we use in our homes daily, that others may not have the great fortune of having. I am always reminded of these things when I watch one of my favorite films: The Blind Side. The true story of a boy who had lost everything, and the woman who had the courage to give him everything she had; most importantly her love. There are many moments in life that knock us down flat, that attack us from our blind side. But it is imperative to remember that hope is not lost; tomorrow is another day, and it is worth fighting for. 

  Courage. I am also grateful for the moments that require the most courage. Quoted again from my favorite film, Michael Oher said: 

"Courage is a hard thing to figure. You can have courage based on a dumb idea or mistake, but you're not supposed to question adults, or your coach or your teacher, because they make the rules. Maybe they know best, but maybe they don't. It all depends on who you are, where you come from. Didn't at least one of the six hundred guys think about giving up, and joining with the other side? I mean, valley of death that's pretty salty stuff. That's why courage it's tricky. Should you always do what others tell you to do? Sometimes you might not even know why you're doing something. I mean any fool can have courage. But honor, that's the real reason for you either do something or you don't. It's who you are and maybe who you want to be. If you die trying for something important, then you have both honor and courage, and that's pretty good. I think that's what the writer was saying, that you should hope for courage and try for honor. And maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some, too."

Happiness is having gratitude for the simplest of things in life. Happiness is daring to have courage and honor when it matters most. Thank you for inspiring me, Michael. 

Finding joy in the Journey, 
Calli

H

Day 2: 100 Happiest Days

Dear Journal, 
   Day 2 reminded me just how truly blessed I am to live in a country where I can exercise my religious beliefs freely. I am grateful for a God in Heaven who loves me, and is always there. I l know that He is very aware of me, and that I am His daughter. I am most thankful today for the power of prayer. Life sometimes feels like there is fog or a haze on the path ahead of us, blocking our vision to where we need to go next. Many of us may feel lost or alone in these moments, but the power of faith and prayer is the answer to life's most "lost" moments. 

 On the long car ride to Rexburg, we experienced over 8 hours of constant rain and occasional fog. Most of this time, it was near to impossible to see anything ahead of you other than the small amount of road that our headlights illuminated. There were several moments where the road conditions seemed hazardous, and we questioned if we would make it to our destination in safety. How similar this scenario is to our everyday lives. Many of us are facing a heavy rain, or a fog, that is blocking our view from the road ahead, and our potential. But we need not fear. In life's hardest moments, we can pray to a loving God in Heaven. A Heavenly Father who promises to comfort us in our time of need, and promises that if we but only have faith and follow Him, we will be lead safely home. 

Happiness is a loving Heavenly Father. Happiness is the ability to commune with Him through prayer. 
Finding Joy in the Journey,
Calli

My 100 Happiest Days: Day 1

Dear Journal, 
Today was the first of my 100 Happiest days. It started out very emotional,  saying goodbye to my dad as he dropped Trent and I off in Rexburg. But as he left town he sent me a text message with some of the most profound words I've heard in a while: "Take a moment each day to enjoy what life has to offer. Time is such a thief." It hit me then and there just how fast my childhood flew by, and how quickly I have come to this point in my life. Yet, it was in that moment that I realized how truly blessed I am to be alive, and to have been raised by a family who has endlessly encouraged me to be the best that I can be, and to chase my dreams. Tonight, nothing makes me more happy than knowing how much I love my family, my husband,and the incredible family who reared him up to be the man that he is today. Happy is family. Happy is living every moment to the fullest. And happy is successfully assembling our Ikea bed frame after hours of interpreting Swedish diagrams. :) 
Finding joy in the journey, 
Calli