Recipe for Happiness

I have nothing to say about the election.  I missed the whole thing because I was at work and nearly cried when I got home and it had already been decided.  Not because I missed it, but because of the result.  But what there is to say has already been said a million times over, so I have nothing further to add.  Moving on.

I’m often surprised by the things that God chooses to do with me.  Two nights ago at work a lady came and ordered coffee.  I didn’t think much of it, except that I was a little irritated by the way she came across and didn’t appreciate the way she loudly interacted with the other customers.  After she sat down we began to talk.  It wasn’t anything important at first, but as I began to ask questions she revealed more and more to me about her life.  I found out she was having a very hard time and all her friends were telling her to go shopping because it would make her feel better.  All she wanted was to feel happy.  Of course, she was getting no relief from the purchases she was making.  So she looked at me and asked, “Hannah, what is your recipe for happiness?”  I hate when people ask me those questions, mostly because I never have a good answer.  I shrugged my shoulders and said, “I don’t have one.  But that’s because my goal isn’t happiness.”  She looked back at me like that was the most profound thing she had ever heard.  We continued to talk for about 45 minutes about life and what it looks like to love God even when it hurts.  I’m learning that when our goal is happiness and relief from pain we never find it.  But when I’m motivated not to make my life easier or more manageable, but to love and follow a good God, the pain doesn’t matter so much anymore.

I other news, it has been raining for the past four days.  I have such a hard time living without the sunshine.  It gets dark at four o’clock now.  I’m just glad we’re not in Seattle where it rains all the time.  

Also, I have recently become the proud owner of a pair of Express skinny jeans.  Just one of the perks of having a boyfriend who gets a mad employee discount.  :P

I’m really enjoying being a college student.