Happy

Have I written about the original happy? I can't remember.

The story goes like this... When my mother-in-law and father-in-law were living in Europe (with their boys), George bought a gift for Judy. It was in a jewelry box, and he sat it on the dashboard of their car. Judy, impatient, was finally able to open the gift a little bit later. She found a garnet necklace. George told her it was a "happy."

From that point on, Judy gave people "happy-s" -- gifts for no reason. I would call them grace -- a gift, given but undeserved, received with joy. A happy. She was always giving people a happy.

It occurred to me today as I thought about visitation last night and the funeral today, that church is a happy. A gift given to us, that we don't deserve, but which we receive with joy -- that kind of joy that signals that we are close to God.

Thank God for the "happy" called church.