Ya Just Gotta Giggle!

“Cleanliness is not next to godliness. It isn't even in the same neighborhood. No one has ever gotten a religious experience out of removing burned-on cheese from the grill of the toaster oven.” Erma Bombeck

When Erma Bombeck died, a good friend of mine mailed me an article about her life and scrawled across the article in marker were written the words, the job is open! I loved her work, I loved her faith, but mostly I love the way she could make us laugh about the ordinary “stuff” in life. She was all about helping her readers see the value in the most powerful antidote to the woes of the world…laughter.

As the new year began it was time for a new prayer journal. I don’t think my daughter knew that, but I got a birthday gift that was absolutely perfect. Shannon took a composition book, covered it with fabric and added beautiful drawings to the cover and wrote a scripture verse, quote or thought at the top of each and every page. It was a fabulous gift!

I thumbed through the pages to see her writing but I vowed I would not peek and read ahead…I’d enjoy the words she picked one day at a time.

On the first page, she wrote my favorite scripture verse from Psalm 46…Be still and know that I am God. The next few pages were equally as great but the one from yesterday made me laugh out loud! It said…I love you with my whole butt…I would say I love you with my whole heart but my butt is bigger.

We can get so busy and so worried and so involved in life that we can lose our balance. I am a firm believer that the greatest antidote to life stress is a good hearty giggle!

I have a mug at school that holds my pencils and pens and the saying on it reads…if you’re too busy to laugh, you’re just too busy. Easier said than done, I know, but the giggle in my prayer journal was a vivid reminder that we need to laugh!

When was the last time you laughed? The world is full of stuff that isn’t funny but we still have to find ways to giggle every now and again.

I’m going to encourage us all to laugh a little more in 2014. You know what’s even better than a good laugh? Sharing a good laugh with someone. I’d like you to add something to you New Year’s “to do” list…find a way to laugh and share a giggle with someone God puts in your path. There is such a lift to the spirit that comes after a great laugh.

Life can get complicated. My head swims as I try to figure out the politics and “Christ absent” decisions that seem to pepper the newscasts and headlines. I’m just one simple-minded, faith-filled woman from a small town, so what can I possibly do that makes a difference? Actually I can do two things and each will have a profound impact.

First, I can pray. Second, I can laugh. Each of those things reminds me of God’s presence.

We were made to adore God, simple as that. It’s awfully hard to adore anything when we’re knee deep in despair. God is a loving God and He wants us to be happy. So, lift up those worries and trade them in for a good giggle.

A seed to plant: Find a book, a website or a resource of some kind that can bring a giggle to you each day. If you come across a really funny one, be sure to share it with others.

Blessings on your day!