Where Do You Find Your Happy Place?

 

Categories: LifeOnPurpose

 

 

Deer Backyard

What do you do when bad things happen? More specifically, when bad things happen, where do you find your happy place?

Admittedly, bad things come in all shapes and sizes. They almost always surprise us, and they are never pleasant. That’s why we call them ‘bad things’. When the bad things are not too bad, we can simply force ourselves to think about good things that make us happy. We can lift our spirits by thinking of some of our favorite things. Just like the song from The Sound of Music about My Favorite Things:

When the dog bites, when the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad

Dog bites and bee stings may require a simple bandage, and our favorite things can often cheer us up. But sometimes the bad things create in us very deep wounds. Sometimes the bad things have no equivalent good things that we can turn to for emotional relief. So what do we do?

The picture I included with this post was from my back yard this past week. It contains one of my favorite things: deer walking peacefully in their natural surroundings. But it also contains two things I have recently considered bad. Ever since we lost our son Elijah to hypothermia in those woods behind our home, I have hated cold weather and the very woods that we used to enjoy together.

For two weeks we did not know where Elijah was. For two weeks, his body lay in those woods, exposed to the weather and the animals. When I feel cold temperatures, I am easily brought to tears thinking of Elijah exposed to the freezing cold. And I cannot bring myself to visit the place in the woods where he perished. How will I ever find a happy place when confronted with such a bad place?

As it turns out, there is a happy place big enough to handle the awfulness of those bad things.

My wife Melanie helped me to understand that the place where Elijah rested was a place of God’s protection. I know that sounds odd. But when we were informed by police of Elijah’s death, we were also told that he was perfectly preserved. No animals had touched him. His body had not decayed. Melanie had a vision that God’s angels stood guard over that place. It was a place where God met Elijah to carry him to his eternal home in heaven. Rather than a horrible place, it is actually a holy place.

As Moses was confronted with God’s presence in the wilderness, he experienced what it was like to be in a holy place. “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5). I suppose it’s ironic that Elijah’s feet were also bare.

How can we turn a bad thing into a happy thing? Recognize God’s presence in the midst of the bad things. In His presence is protection. In Him we can see triumph in our tragedy. We can know rest when otherwise we feel overwhelmed with pain and sorrow.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 90:1)

So rather than trying to find our Happy Place, perhaps we should consider looking instead for the Holy Place. It’s big enough and wonderful enough to handle even the worst of the bad things.



Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.

-Ken Buchanan

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  1. Kerry Houts says:

    February 25, 2015 at 7:05 pm

    Wow . . . Just . . . wow.

  2. Mary Adair says:

    February 25, 2015 at 10:55 pm

    Wow Ken…!!!! That was powerful stuff you wrote. But that picture you took was beautiful of the deer. Reminds me of Psalms 42:1.

  3. Liz Townley says:

    March 2, 2015 at 11:03 am

    Oh, yes! This brings tears of sadness and joy! Your son indeed was surrounded and protected by angels in the woods. I understand the dichotomy that at one time those woods were a fun, place holding many great memories for you and your family, but now… a place of extreme sadness. He was just waiting to be found. And now his spirit lives on in your words and the sharing you do here. Even through all the cold days, there will be warmth again. Life sometimes lumbers along slowly, and getting through the hard days is a terrible burden. But with the Spring, I pray for hope and joy for your family! It is a new normal getting used to life without our loved ones. Your love for Elijah and the faith you have brings such comfort to so many. We know that your faith makes this journey not so hard, in spite of, the harsh winds and cold temps; there is hope for an eternal Spring! Keep reaching out and know that through the grace of God, we embrace you and feel for you.

    Romans 15:13
    May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

  4. Lori Dolney says:

    March 2, 2015 at 11:51 am

    thank you Ken it is really good to read this & hearing it come from you makes it a very meaningful & powerful message.

  5. Molly Guthrey says:

    March 12, 2015 at 7:00 pm

    Could it be a thin place? “In the Celtic tradition such places that give us an opening into the magnificence and wonder of that Presence are called ‘Thin Places.’ There is a Celtic saying that heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in the thin places that distance is even smaller. A thin place is where the veil that separates heaven and earth is lifted and one is able to receive a glimpse of the glory of God.”

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