Monday, March 29, 2010

The happy chart!

Sometimes I get creative urges. One of those feelings that says make something! Now! Friday night I had one of those, ‘I need to make something’ frenzies, so as Clay watched the basketball game, I lugged out my scrap booking stuff and spread it all out on the living room floor. I finally decided to make a new happy chart! Our current happy chart was running out of room to write on! What is a happy chart? A place ready and waiting to be filled with funny quotes, silly happenings, and simple things that make the writer happy… all the little ways God says ‘I love you!’ to His children. I was first introduced to happy charts when my family lived in Indiana. The staff used them as a way to focus on the blessings God had given us instead of concentrating on all the things we could complain, or be ungrateful about. When something happened that brightened our day, be it as simple as the sun shining after days of clouds and rain, or the kitchen making our favorite dish for dinner, it went on the happy chart. During character suite when all four of us on the team were doubled over in laughter at something that happened, it usually ended in a race to the happy chart to see who would get to write it down! Its a great way to cheer yourself up on a dreary day too! Earlier to day I re-read some quotes from a while back and couldn’t help laughing out loud! After cutting and tracing, gluing and placing, I came up with this bright spring design for the happy chart which is now prominently displayed on the refrigerator. There aren’t many happy things on it yet, but it will fill up fast! Here’s what’s on it so far: Clay to mom while driving: “I didn’t slam on the breaks, I calmly put them on quickly” Mom: “Facebook reminds me of what ultrasounds do to pregnancy” Clay: “…like a ballerina on steroids.” “Ode to a Butterfly!” (A favorite bluegrass song, that no one else in my family particularly likes, that I had set as my ring tone on my cell phone!) When you go through life looking for the little blessings God sends our way, the items on your to do list that you previously worried about or stressed over don’t seem quite as important. As you go through life don’t just “stop and smell the roses,” Thank the one who made them!

4 comments:

Candice said...

I really love your chart idea. I agree that we get caught up and stress about so much. I can see how this chart would help us focus on the many blessings the Lord gives us everyday.

Lisa said...

The chart, itself, looks happy! :-) Good job, Mary!

Unknown said...

Hey, Mary! Love the "happy chart!" We should probably have one, only we'd fill it up in a week. A while back, Riss and I were messing around, and she hit me in the nose. I said, "Now I'm gonna have two black eyes right here," while rubbing the inside corners of my eyes. To which Mom replied, "It'd be kinda hard to have 'em anywhere else." :)

Anonymous said...

This is for your Ma: L.O.V.E. your FB definition!! Right on! Annick an her friend Kate Reyes are at the Thompsons' this week picking up our last 2 ponies. Have Mary call the T's to see if she can come and see them!! Miss y'all much!

Pam