Make Someone (You) Happy
There’s a quote from Mr. Rogers that goes something like “The best teacher in the world is someone who loves what he or she does, and just loves it in front of you.” The man himself, Fred Rogers, was a pro at this. I have vivid memories of his show from my childhood (lo, many years gone by now). The episode that introduced us to a crayon factory will be with me forever. Mr. Rogers never stopped being curious about the world and the people around him. He allowed himself to be amazed, and that amazement helped millions of children be amazed right alongside him.
There is a misconception that quietly takes over sometime in the course of parenthood that says that we must slog through it. Children are demanding; they require much of us. The work itself is repetitive (similar to many other kinds of work, if we are honest). Our daily tasks mount up, and we resent the constraint that parenthood places upon our days and nights.
But one of the best things we can do for ourselves, and indeed, for our children, is to pursue happiness.
That seems like terrible advice for our slog-devoted generation of Christian parents, so let me explain a bit—or rather, let nineteenth-century pastor-evangelist George Müller explain a bit:
“The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord.”
That’s right—he said “happy.” Müller wants us to remember that pursuing our own happiness in God is of primary importance. This happiness should not be confused with the pursuit of selfish pleasures. It is instead the pursuit of joy in Jesus.
What does this advice mean for parents? It means that we can prioritize delight! If a walk outside helps you pray better, do it. If re-reading that book of fiction helps you love your children better than the newest parenting title, read it. If cooking a beautiful meal helps you love God’s created world, slow down and do it. Prioritize it! If the dutiful pursuit of perfect parenting has you slogging through, you have permission to knock it off and find some things to make you happy in God and in your role right now.
That’s not to say that everything we do as parents is enjoyable (I’ve yet to find someone who enjoys potty-training or teaching a teen to drive), but the cultivation of our own joy in God can help us navigate the rocky patches with more ease.
And here we get back to Mr. Rogers. If we enjoy God in front of our children, it is the best way to teach them about God. May we never reduce a relationship with the Creator to a set of slogging activities we “must” do. If we are tying our enjoyment—enjoyment of people, of nature, of work, and of play—to God, we are helping our children enjoy him, also.
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. – Ecclesiastes 9:7
When she’s not behind her laptop, Kelly enjoys live music, baseball, reading great books, and traveling with her husband, David. Kelly hails from beautiful snowy New England, but after two decades in North Carolina, she feels right at home.
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- Story Warren Weekend, Vol. 14, Issue 33 - September 5, 2026
- The Wisdom of a Pure Heart: A Short Biography of Ezra Jack Keats - September 2, 2026
- Make Someone (You) Happy - August 31, 2026
So true…delighting in the Lord, and His promises to us help bring joy to our hearts. The gift of music has helped me through many a slogging experience. Such good advice for today\\\\\\\’s parents. PS: I truly enjoyed teaching my son to drive ….Ecclesiasties was what dad (Pop) chose for his prayer card for his going home service, and was so fitting.