More and more, I find pleasure in the small things. More and more, I am discovering my love to laugh. More and more, I freely and unashamedly practice this gift of expression. Here are some of the things that recently have made me laugh.....
One of the teachers that I work with hung signs in her classroom bearing the names of various continents. One afternoon, I commented to one of the kids that I was freezing cold. She simply pointed to the sign above my head and said, "You're in Antarctica!" Well, that explains it!
The thought of my 80-something year old grandfather sending me countless forwarded e-mails each week is enough to make me chuckle. But a few weeks ago, he sent one that was actually funny. Here are a few excerpt that made me laugh....
"When I got home last night, my wife demanded that I take her someplace expensive....so, I took her to a gas station. And then the fight started.... "
"I asked my wife, "Where do you want to go for our anniversary?" It warmed my heart to see her face melt in sweet appreciation. "Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!" she said. So I suggested, "How about the kitchen?"
And that's when the fight started...."
And my most favorite....
"A woman was standing, looking in the bedroom mirror. She was not happy with what she saw and said to her husband, 'I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment.' The husband replies, 'Your eyesight's near perfect.'
And that's when the fight started...."
Sometimes, I laugh at things I shouldn't, like a timely retort from a smart-mouthed kid. It's funny, maybe not appropriate, but funny. I can appreciate his gift of wit.
Sometimes, I laugh at things I shouldn't, like a certain child singing her heart out: off-key, off-tempo, off melody, just off. It's funny, very funny. I can appreciate her exuberance and lack of self-consciousness.
I, too, love to sing and I love to listen to others sing. I had forgotten what a gift singing is until I lost it. Acid-reflux took it's toll on my vocal chords. There was significant damage and I struggled to control my pitch. I remember sitting in church one day thinking about how God had given me this wonderful gift, my voice, but I was too self-conscious to share it with others. So I had wasted it . I sat humbled and praying that God would give me another chance at using the gift He gave me for His purpose. I believe God healed my vocal chords. My voice has been restored and He makes me laugh, and sing, with joy.
Laughing is a gift. Singing is a gift. And Christ is the greatest gift of all.
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