Laughing???

Laughing??? Are you laughing?

Sound like a funny question? I read a quote a few years ago in a devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. It has become one of my personal life goals. It has become one of our marriage goals. It has become one of our family goals. Ready? Here it is:

“Laughter is the medicine intended to cure the disease of self-importance. It’s hard to puff yourself up to weather balloon size if you can deflate yourself with a good prick of self-directed humor. How many laughs are you having–some at your own expense? Have you, as a couple, claimed the promise, “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting.” (Job 8:21) Before the wedding ceremony, many couples need to have a bold objective for their first year of marriage: Over the next year, we will be found guilty of having too much fun rather than too little fun. That is not abad objective for any year of marriage.”

So, beloved…are you laughing?

Wonder what there is to laugh at? Well, here are a few things that happen to bring laughter into our home:

1. ME! Yep! If I will really take a look at myself, I am not nearly as great when I take myself serious as when I get a good laugh at my own expense. A perfect example, I was mad as a hornet at Harold the other day. Well, until I got to thinking about how FEMALE I was being. I just looked at him and said,”WOW! That came out very FEMALE!” We both burst into laughter. My point that I was trying to prove was not nearly as much fun as getting that laugh at my own expense. Pretty priceless! And…we had a much better afternoon! 🙂

2. When things go wrong. Yep! I had one of “those days” the other day. At first, I could feel my forehead wrinkled into a very uncomfortable, must have been ugly look. My hands were even beginning to shake. It was one of those days that EVERYTHING was going wrong. I could have written a book…or a series of books on all that was going wrong. Until, finally, I realized that it was “one of those days” and we began to laugh at all of the STUFF that was going wrong. You know what? Laughter worked. Actually, as I look back, the enemy was on the prowl. Satan LOVES to frustrate, thwart, destroy, and distract. His fingerprints were ALL OVER that day. He can’t stay in the presence of laughter and worship. So, when things are going wrong. Stop. Look at it. Laugh at it! Watch what happens! It can turn around a really tough day!

3. The Kids! Now, I am not talking about poking fun at them. That is a big “no-no!” But, how long has it been since you slowed down to really LISTEN. How long has it been since you could just kick back and enjoy THEM? Kids are just plain FUNNY! They see the light side of e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. They will tell things that comedians could make MONEY off of…oh, they DO! Want to laugh? Spend some time with little ones. Don’t lecture. In fact, be quiet and just listen. Hummm…I give you an hour!

4. Puppies! Ok! Don’t get offended that I listed them so close to the kids. If you are a dog-lover, you have my back on this one! Puppies are SOOOOO funny! My kids are grown (still hilarious, but not home very often any more!). I spend hours each day with my three puppies. Talk about FUNNY! Last night, Buster found a candy wrapper. You would have thought he had found the ultimate toy! He LOVES candy wrappers–works great since I love the candy! ha! The shinier the better. He ran around the room with it in his mouth for hours. He rolled and tumbled. He pounced it. He pawed it. He had a blast! Just slowing down long enough to ENJOY him was a total delight! My puppies are ALWAYS up to something. If I will stop and enjoy, I am always a laugh away.

5. MOVIES!! Oh! I love, love, love, love to curl up with my sweetie or the children or the puppies for funny movies. My daughter and I are BIG chick-flick fans. We pick the ones that are just funny. Just what melts away the stress and seriousness of life.

How about you? Have you been laughing? Have you been laughing enough? Why not join with me to purpose to laugh more and more each day? Why not join with me to purpose to be guilty of laughing more this year than last year? Why not be guilty of having TOO MUCH fun rather than going through one more day with NO fun?

So, what about you? Will you laugh more today than yesterday? Tomorrow than today? Will you purpose to look for the laughter? Why not decide now to laugh more and more?

Ok…laugh NOW! A GREAT BIG BELLY LAUGH!!!