Just another day of Mommy, Hazel, and baby William going out to do the chores. It was a little early for evening chores, but I wanted to be outside anyway, and the chores gave me a task to do while we were out. Usually Hazel goes straight for the cats (and we have 10 or so new ones that makes it fun!) and I start by feeding the horses, so it works out well.
I had just finished filling the chickens water and I grabbed the egg basket and went in the coop to collect eggs. Some days I just set the basket on the porch, to be taken in when we go inside for the night, and sometimes I take them straight into the house. No rhyme or reason, just depends on the day.
This day, however, I decided to take them straight into the house. I put them on the counter and as I was excited to go back and spend time outside, I instinctually opened the freezer and thought, "I want to bring out a popsicle for Hazel and I to eat together"
Strange, but I was almost shaking as I opened them to take them outside. I couldn't wait to see her face. I was so excited to hear her little voice say, "Tank you, mommy!" as she took it from my extended hand. I looked forward to standing in silence as we enjoyed, together, something that made both of us happy.
As expected, I went outside, called her name and said, "Guess what I have?!" She hadn't even poked her head out of the garage yet from where she was feeding the cats before saying, "You have?!" She came skipping over, mouth open and smiling. "Taaaaank you!"
Just as expected.
And as we ate those popcicles in silence, I pondered on how happy it makes me to say "Yes." To give her things. To surprise her with things I know make her happy.
Then I thought about things in my own life, and how I think God is the exact same way. He, too, loves watching our faces light up. He loves hearing our gratitude when He blesses us, and He loves the silence we share when we're happy together.
There really is something undeniably joyful about "giving". And what's amazing is that it's like unlocking a little secret source of happiness within yourself!
Though I love a good (clean) popcicle as much as the next person, sharing one with Hazel wasn't just about the frozen goodie; it was about creating a shared moment, a little pocket of delight in our day.
President Boyd K. Packer said, “Happiness is the design of life. God wants us to be happy.” And perhaps that’s the secret ingredient to life’s sweetest moments: a heart aligned with the divine desire for joy.
God, our loving Heavenly parent, must find immeasurable pleasure in witnessing our happiness. In the smallest things, like watching a child discover the magic of a rainbow or the thrill of riding a bike for the first time. His love for us is so vast and deep that His joy is bound up in ours.
And so, we find ourselves in this beautiful cycle: giving brings us joy, our joy pleases God, and His love inspires us to give more. It's a refreshing cycle ... kind of like enjoying a popsicle on a hot summer day.
Fast forward five minutes to our sweet tooth satisfied and our popsicle sticks in the fire pit; I still had William in the pack on my chest and I was truly happy to have been able to say another "yes" to Hazel and find myself on the trampoline with her.
She started jumping and yelled, "Mommy, jump!" I barely bent my knees and the motion matched her downward jump perfectly and launched her higher in the air than she anticipated. She landed on her bum, both of us laughing. She immediately got up again and shouted, "Again! Higher!"
Hearing her say this, my mind immediately went to the Relief Society room in the church (how does this keep happening to me?! 😅) where the day before I had given a lesson on the talk, "A Higher Joy" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
I smiled and in an instant, my mind was overwhelmed with a million thoughts, two of which stood out most.
☝🏼 First: "She has no idea the kind of height I could give her if I could. She's never been so high! She can't even imagine it!"
✌🏼 Second: "My bouncing will only have an impact if we get in sync. Otherwise, it just throws her off balance."
How often does God think this same thing about me? How many times have I "not been in sync" and aligned my will with His to allow me to soar to great heights, even higher than I've ever imagined? Heights I can't even comprehend?
Hazel continued to bounce, calling out, "Higher! Higher!" to which I would bend my knees and pulse my legs the tiniest bit, being ever mindful of the baby on my chest. If she and I were in sync, she would giggle with delight as her feet left the tramp a few more inches than before.
So many thoughts, so much happiness.
These two experiences with Hazel, happening within five minutes of each other, reminded me of the quote by Dallin H Oaks: “Happiness is found in living according to God’s plan.”
It's like aligning our compass with the North Star. When our desires and actions are in harmony with Heavenly Father's will, we find a peace and contentment that surpasses understanding.
And not only surpasses understanding, but surpasses your ability to explain it. I mean, how can you explain to someone that you feel "peaceful" even when you've lost your job, are pregnant with your second child, and your husband is in school full-time? You can't. It's unlike anything you can explain or even fully comprehend.
Perhaps it’s like watching a sunset; the colors just blend so seamlessly, creating the most breathtaking masterpiece. And just as the sun sets to rise again, our happiness, rooted in divine alignment, is a constant, a promise of a new dawn.
I have so much more to work on, but it seems that aligning our will with His is the key to unlocking the full potential of joy He has in store for us.
I'm just grateful that God allows His children to experience these tiny treasures. That He allows us opportunities to experience Godhood for a small moment, and experience the joy that comes from staying close to Him. I mean, this all started with a simple popsicle moment, a shared laugh, and a child's innocent desire to reach higher.
So, the next time you share a popsicle, a smile, or a kind word, remember, you're not just creating a moment of joy; you're aligning your heart with heaven.
It's the sweetest recipe for a "higher" happiness, one that can be savored again and again because of Him who loves us, again and again.
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