I took a long, hard look at my life last night.
With a renewed stubbornness and determination, and out of some measure of desperation, I took stock of my life. I filled up 8 pages on the computer, the majority of which were charts to renew and revitalize my personal and spiritual disciplines in hopes of ending this stagnation and/or backward slide and to begin pushing forward once again.
In taking stock, I realized something pathetic. And so wrong. I have not laughed–really laughed–in a long time. Oh, I’ve laughed at my kids some, but I’m talking the “laugh out loud with joy” kind of laughing.
And there is PLENTY of things to laugh at and to enjoy. For one, my kids are hilarious. Especially Mark and Keli, who keep us all in stitches. I’ve forgotten lately to relax and just enjoy them and the hysterical things they say.
And, truly, life is just funny. Not always, no. But if one looks hard enough, there is the ridiculous, the absurd, and just the down-right funny things in life that we should all take time to enjoy.
And, I’ve not done nearly enough of that lately. At all.
In my awesome leather-bound ESV Journal Bible that my dear friend SaraBeth gave me, I have Psalm 126 handwritten in the back. I made myself handwrite it out a long time to remind me of the promise contained there-in. And then I promptly forgot about it, until I looked up the word “Laughter” in scripture last night. And there it was, that Psalm that reminds me that the tears I have shed will be reaped with shouts of joy. That when God restored the fortunes of Zion, there hearts were filled with laughter. And as God continues to restore me bit by bit, I, too should be surprised by His joy and by laughter.
So tonight I’m going to try to remember to laugh with my crew. And I’m going to fight for real joy, not just say I’m fighting for joy.
I ran across a comedian that I had never, ever heard before yesterday. She’s an older lady, a Methodist, and is hysterical. She calls her husband “Left Brain”. And the way she tells stories is so funny, but they are so true in their hilarity. So, to close this post, I’m first going put the words to Psalm 126 in here, so you can read them yourself, and then I’m going to add a YouTube clip or two of her funniest stories for you to enjoy–and to laugh at.
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
shall reap with shouts of joy!
shall come home with shouts of joy,
