"Are You Happy?"

This is a question I hear all the time. And it comes from the mouth of a 2 year old. It happens to be one of Annika's favorite phrases. Sometimes it is voiced unexpectedly.
"Are you happy, Melody?"
"Yes, Annika, I'm happy."
Twenty minutes later- "Melody, are you happy?"
"I'm happy, Annika. Are you happy?"
My question to her is met with various replies.
"Yes, I'm happy, too." OR
"No, I'm not happy. I'm sad." And there is always some reason why she is not happy.
Sometimes I know the question is coming. If I for some reason am lecturing either Annika or Nils about something, I can almost always count on Annika to say in a concerned tone,
"Are you happy, Melody?"
And to this I must respond honestly.
"No, Annika. I am not happy. I am upset because you are not listening to me." OR
"I would be happier if you and Nils were not fighting."

The happy question often makes me laugh. Sometimes I wish that I did not have to hear it fifteen times a day. But when I really think about it, it's not so bad. In fact, every once in awhile it's slightly convicting. Am I happy? Do I have reasons not to be happy? Just this past Sunday, we were reminded of the well known, and yet many times ignored, passage in Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord, always." Always. There doesn't really seem to be a way out of that one. I am always suppose to rejoice in the Lord. I could be having an awful day, but my duty is to rejoice in Him. After all, He is saving me, sanctifying me, making me more like Him.
Now this doesn't mean that I'm always going to obey. In fact, I know some days I will fail. But maybe that's why Annika is always asking me if I'm happy. And even if I'm not always happy- because sometimes I am lecturing fighting siblings or chasing runaway children, etc., etc., etc. -I should still be rejoicing in the Lord because of what He has done for me.