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Labor Day 2000 marked the fortieth anniversary of Betty Haughin's column, "Chit Chat." The column is published in the local newspaper that is delivered to the homes in eight small communities northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Betty has only two rules for her column. The news, except for deaths, must always be good and the names must be spelled in all capitals on their first reference. Betty realizes that, "Happiness is born a twin and so is sorrow. We're not meant to go through either alone." To ease the burden of the latter, she writes a column to remind us of the former.
The column originated when the editor read some personal letters that Betty had written. He approached her with a simple request, asking if she would write a newspaper column as if it were "a letter to a friend." She gracefully accepted and readers have since been blessed with "Chit Chat." Betty can only attribute the column's longevity to God's desire "to get his message through to everyone." Why was Betty called forth for this mission of love? Perhaps, because in her own words, she believes, "People are important. I want to make them feel good."
The author of Hebrews announces that for those who believe and trust in Jesus, "You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven." Those of us who know Jesus are members of a joyful assembly. We are not foreigners to suffering, but we are equally partakers of its twin which is happiness. It is not a happiness born through suffering, but a joy that comes with knowing the deliverance that is ours as we are participants in the angelic assembly in heaven. It is a peace that comes, as the author of Hebrews shares, by "receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful." This is why Betty can continue to write an upbeat dialogue on what she calls "the joys and sorrows we all share."
The column originated when the editor read some personal letters that Betty had written. He approached her with a simple request, asking if she would write a newspaper column as if it were "a letter to a friend." She gracefully accepted and readers have since been blessed with "Chit Chat." Betty can only attribute the column's longevity to God's desire "to get his message through to everyone." Why was Betty called forth for this mission of love? Perhaps, because in her own words, she believes, "People are important. I want to make them feel good."
The author of Hebrews announces that for those who believe and trust in Jesus, "You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven." Those of us who know Jesus are members of a joyful assembly. We are not foreigners to suffering, but we are equally partakers of its twin which is happiness. It is not a happiness born through suffering, but a joy that comes with knowing the deliverance that is ours as we are participants in the angelic assembly in heaven. It is a peace that comes, as the author of Hebrews shares, by "receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful." This is why Betty can continue to write an upbeat dialogue on what she calls "the joys and sorrows we all share."
