A Jar of Happiness

Today I have the afternoon off.  Being ambitious, I decided to clean my room.  I mean really clean my room.  I pulled out boxes that have moved from house to house to house with me but that have never truly been opened.  I was doing great, going through things and separating them into "keep," "give away," and "throw away" piles when, true to form, I got sidetracked.

I got to a box from 9th grade or so, and pulled out something wrapped in tissue paper.  It was an old jar - probably about 100 years old by now - with "HAPPINESS" taped to the lid.  I opened it up and discovered about 100 slips of paper inside.  On each slip I had written something that made me happy.

Here are just a few things I found written on those slips:

-Hot Cocoa
-That time we went to Disneyland and Jobie made up songs about everything
-Mom and Dad getting remarried
-Camping with Gary and Amanda
-Twins
-That time Cat and I went into Shoney's because we saw the Illinois baseball team had stopped there
-When Mom smooths my hair back
-Guys in football uniforms
-Country songs
-The Harry Potter Series
-Mr. Seal (he was my favorite stuffed animal as a kid...and yes, he was a seal)
-Celebrating Sister Day
-Boiled custard
-Different accents

These are all things I wrote down in 9th and 10th grade, but they still make me happy.  I am going to put this jar on my dresser and add to it.  I think it can do us all good to have a jar of happiness - something to look into when we are a bit down. 

And now I want to know: What's in your jar of happiness?

James 1:17