Here goes:
- Walking or other forms of exercise
- Coffee and food and the social interaction that comes with them
- Sleep, particularly my lunchtime nap
- Playing or listening to music and playing computer games
- My spiritual life
Regarding the latter point, we sometimes laugh at a line from an old hymn:
At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
Is anybody really happy all the day? I think the writer probably meant that he was happy that Christ died for him and that his place in heaven was secured. Jesus didn’t promise perfect bliss in this life..
So, back when I was a teenager, I wasn’t sure what was true, and times when I did focus on what little faith I had, I wasn’t sure where I stood with God. I was taught that only really saintly people went directly to heaven. The rest of us ended up suffering in purgatory or hell. Then, when I started reading the Bible for myself and meeting people who saw the Bible as more authoritative than theological speculation and church traditions over the centuries, I saw that when we repent and believe, our salvation is secure. We cross over from death to life.
John 5:24
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
One of the other activities that brings me happiness is looking back on a different year of my life each day. Today it’s actually 1979, so I’ll be listening to songs from that year.
Here’s a little known Stevie Wonder song that brings me back to the autumn of that year. I think that I only heard it once in 1979, but I found it a few years ago, and it sounded quite magical to me. It’s a love song to plants.
But I want to talk about something that happened in 1982. Back in 1982, I was all set to go to train to be a teacher, but I discovered that I was too young for my course. I’d need to wait a year. I applied for various jobs with no success. I was a little miserable. I thought of going to a kibbutz or doing some other type of voluntary work with Voluntary Services International (VSI) or whatever.
Anyway, a London City Mission worker visited Cork YMCA and left some literature. Among them was details of a scheme for young people – Voluntary Evangelism. You could go and live in London for a year and help out with evangelism. I loved London, and I loved evangelism. I decided to apply, but I thought that my chances were slim. There were only about 24 places for the whole of the UK. And would they take a little Irish guy?
Then, I got a letter following a brief telephone interview. My place was secured. I still have that letter. It brings me so much joy every time I look at it. And it was a wonderful year, though I’m sure I wasn’t always “happy all the day”. We’ll need to wait until we are actually in heaven for that 😀. But you do get little tastes of heaven down here – in lots of different ways.
But knowing that I’ll be with Jesus is a little like getting that acceptance letter. My place is secure, so I’m happy all the day about that. And heaven isn’t restricted to a limited number. The offer of salvation goes out to everyone.
Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Hibernia Gospel 
That’s a lovely, honest reflection.
Your everyday joys—walks, coffee with people, naps, music/games, and especially your faith—feel very relatable. I like how you addressed the hymn line: no one is “happy all the day” here, but the secure hope in Christ (John 5:24 and Matt 11:28-30) gives lasting peace and little foretastes of heaven.
That 1982 acceptance letter story is wonderful—proof that disappointments can lead to better doors. Thanks for sharing.
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