Mississippi “Happy”

What a great weekend I had in Madison, Mississippi, with the Mom To Mom women at Broadmoor Baptist Church. They are one great group of women, let me tell you—and beautiful besides, as you can see from the pictures.

They welcomed me with such warm and elegant Southern hospitality that at one or two points I half expected Rhett or Scarlett to walk through the door. I loved listening to them. That beautiful soft speech makes everything somehow sound a little easier, doesn’t it? And I even learned a new word or two.

One of those words was a new definition for “happy.” One of the leaders was telling me how she liked to bring the moms in her group a “little happy” whenever she could. It sounded like a noun—a “happy.” So of course I had to ask about it. For you girls north of the Mason-Dixon line (or maybe just outside Mississippi), a “happy” is a little treat or surprise . . . some small gift that will brighten their day—or week—or month.

I was picturing M&M’s—of course!

I was actually given a “happy” by one of the groups I spoke to—a package of Mississippi Cheese Straws. And let me tell you, they make you happy!


But what made me happiest of all was to see these moms reaching out to one another with the love of Jesus. As I travel around and visit with moms, I am always struck at how similar our needs, worries, challenges, and opportunities are as moms no matter what part of the country we live in or even what age our kids are. We all need encouragement. We all need energizing. We all need help in this most challenging job of raising the next generation—and influencing generations to come! Especially, we all need prayer—and the power of God in our lives.

That’s why a rather obscure verse came to my mind this morning as I prayed for Mom To Mom groups all over the country— the group in Madison, but also and especially some “Wednesday MTM’s” in Texas and North Carolina and New Jersey and Illinois and Wisconsin. (BTW, if you want to be on my prayer list, please write in to momtomom.org and let us know where you are and when you meet!)

I thought of Psalm 68:11. In the KJV it reads: “The Lord gave the word: great was the company of people that published it.” But apparently the word for “people” here is feminine. The Holman Christian Standard Bible translates the last part of this verse: “a great company of women brought the good news.”


A great company of women brought the good news. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? Isn’t that what we’re doing through Mom To Mom? That’s why praying for Mom To Mom women all over the country makes me very, very happy!

And now I’m off to finish packing my bags for Ireland—a quick trip to help Erika get the nursery set up for that little lady due in November. A suitcase full of pink stuff . . . Talk about happy!