Happy was his name.......Happy Ingram. And, yes, Happy was happy ! I never did see Happy at church camp when he wasn't happy. He had a smile from ear to ear from breakfast until lights out at night. Happy was just a happy person.
Happy wasn't a young man those years he was the night watchman at Siloam Springs Baptist Assembly but was Happy's job to keep everyone as happy as he could. There were times when someone did something wrong; he caught them catching crawdads in the stream when they were suppose to be in bible study. Or, they were playing sick and laying on their bunk while worship service was going on. Wherever they were, you could bet Happy would find them. They might not be happy when he did but before he finished talking to them about right and wrong, they were happy again.
The last person you would hear after lights out at night would be Happy. We always listened for Happy to come whistling up the hill shining his flashlight ahead of him. As he walked by our dormitory, he would shine his light up on the side of the building and in his happy voice,
"How's everyone in there doing? Are we all happy?"
"Yes, Happy, we're all happy," we'd say in unison.
Off he would go then to the next dorm, shining his light ahead of him.
I'm sure Happy had unhappy times just like all of us do. But, Happy had the Lord living inside of him and he showed it to us kids. He was an example of what a Christian should be. He always had time to talk in the afternoons during free time. You'd see Happy over on the bench by the Snack Shack enjoying a snow cone with four or five kids gathered around him laughing at his jokes. And, yet, Happy always took the time, when telling his funny stories, to witness to these young boys and girls about the love of the Lord.
A few years later when John and I were first married, Freeman Heights was a mission of First Baptist Church, that big, red brick church down the street from the post office. I played the piano and John led the music. When Freeman Heights became a church, Bro. Happy Ingram was their first pastor. It was so good to see Bro. Happy once again. He still had that smile from ear to ear and he wanted everyone else he came in contact to be happy , too.
How do you appear to those around you? Do you exhibit the love of Christ in your actions? Can those around you look at you and tell that you are a Believer?
"Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people,
who do not follow the example of sinners
or join those who have no use for God.
Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,
and they study it day and night. They are like trees that grow beside a stream,
that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up.
They succeed in everything they do." Psalm 1:1-3 GNT
Happy wasn't a young man those years he was the night watchman at Siloam Springs Baptist Assembly but was Happy's job to keep everyone as happy as he could. There were times when someone did something wrong; he caught them catching crawdads in the stream when they were suppose to be in bible study. Or, they were playing sick and laying on their bunk while worship service was going on. Wherever they were, you could bet Happy would find them. They might not be happy when he did but before he finished talking to them about right and wrong, they were happy again.
The last person you would hear after lights out at night would be Happy. We always listened for Happy to come whistling up the hill shining his flashlight ahead of him. As he walked by our dormitory, he would shine his light up on the side of the building and in his happy voice,
"How's everyone in there doing? Are we all happy?"
"Yes, Happy, we're all happy," we'd say in unison.
Off he would go then to the next dorm, shining his light ahead of him.
I'm sure Happy had unhappy times just like all of us do. But, Happy had the Lord living inside of him and he showed it to us kids. He was an example of what a Christian should be. He always had time to talk in the afternoons during free time. You'd see Happy over on the bench by the Snack Shack enjoying a snow cone with four or five kids gathered around him laughing at his jokes. And, yet, Happy always took the time, when telling his funny stories, to witness to these young boys and girls about the love of the Lord.
A few years later when John and I were first married, Freeman Heights was a mission of First Baptist Church, that big, red brick church down the street from the post office. I played the piano and John led the music. When Freeman Heights became a church, Bro. Happy Ingram was their first pastor. It was so good to see Bro. Happy once again. He still had that smile from ear to ear and he wanted everyone else he came in contact to be happy , too.
How do you appear to those around you? Do you exhibit the love of Christ in your actions? Can those around you look at you and tell that you are a Believer?
"Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people,
who do not follow the example of sinners
or join those who have no use for God.
Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,
and they study it day and night. They are like trees that grow beside a stream,
that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up.
They succeed in everything they do." Psalm 1:1-3 GNT
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