Laughter is the best medicine

“Laughter” -- the audible expression of the appearance of happiness , an inward feeling of joy or humor. I don’t know about you, but I love to laugh. I am one of these people that when I find something humorous and I start to laugh I can’t stop. I have been made to sit out in the hall in a college class because of something I saw another classmate do in an Anatomy and Physiology Lab I took, and yes, to my shame, some places where laughter would not be appropriate. Not laughing at the situation, but at things that just struck me as funny. Don’t judge me -- Sarah laughed and the Lord heard her!
I have two sisters and it never fails that when we get together and go somewhere, it always happens. One thing that comes to mind is, going to Branson to see the Christmas lights at Silver Dollar City. While browsing in a gift shop, there were some strange looking fur covered cats. Don’t ask me why I thought they were so funny, but I started laughing. My sister came over, got a glimpse of them, and she started laughing. My other sister then saw what we were laughing at, and she began to laugh. The funny thing was, my younger sister never really laughs. She makes long “tee-hee’s” and no “ha-ha-ha’s.” People were looking at us like we had lost our minds. But, the funny thing was, they began to laugh as they watched us laughing. Some of them came over to us, asking us, “ what was so funny?” How could I explain it? Laughter is infectious. I was talking with some ladies and I told them that according to my birth certificate, I feel like I am living somewhere between estrogen and death. That’s all it took. We all laughed and agreed it was more like somewhere between menopause and large print. The smallest thing can just set it off. Do you take yourself so serious, that you cannot see the humor in the small things?
God made us and created us. He gave us the gift of laughter-- that marvelous, anti-aging, stress reducer, autoimmune system booster. Do you know that ten minutes of laughter is as beneficial as a thirty minute cardio-workout? You can feel it in your face, your sides may ache, and if you notice, a calmness after the laughter ends. It also sometimes leaves you with some very fond memories.
God found humor and allowed people to write about it. I think that He gave us laughter and humor to see how we really are. Here are a few examples: Deut. 28:35 - “ Damaged Knees Hinders Prayer.” Judges 6:31 - “Idol Protected by those He Protects.” Judges 9 - “ Trees Seek King.” II Sam. 20 - “ Grabbed by the Beard.” Esther 1:22 - “ Henpecked Husbands Illegal.” Job 39:13-17 - “ Short on Smarts.” Psalm 137:3 - “Humor Demanded from Captives.” Prov. 18:13 - “ Answer before Listening.” Eccles. 10:20 - “ Tattle Tale Birds.” Ezek. 21:21 - “ Liver Consultation.” II Corn. 11:11 - “ Enduring a Little Foolishness.” Learn to laugh, enjoy the gift -- God made laughter.
Father: Sometimes we are just too, serious. We cannot find humor in anything. We sometimes think, that being so somber is the only way we are to be. You created us for relationships. With that, friendships, sharing of joys and sorrows, and yes even laughter. Thank you for this precious gift. We ask you that there may be many times that are filled with laughter that help us walk on this journey called life. Amen.
As you begin this week, it is ok to have something that is contagious and won’t affect people in a harmful way -- the gift of laughter. I hope that the spread of it is far reaching.
Have a “laughable” week.
Janice - CR FBC E-Team Coach

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