being joyful

Last night I talked with my mother on the telephone and by the time we hung up I had such JOY in my heart. We haven't had a long conversation like that in quite a while and I believe it did us both an immeasurable amount of good. She has had a rough few days with her health and I can always tell when she says she is fine and she really is not. She told me a story about my dad, something he did this past week that made me LAUGH until tears were rolling down my face...and then her voice changed...and she caught the humor...suddenly she wasn't angry anymore and I could sense a huge tension had been released...all from that unique little noise that rises out of our throats...a noise that is universally understood as HAPPINESS. I started thinking about what God says about laughter. A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22) and For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name (Psalm 33:21). I really do believe we are called to be happy, to put forth a positive attitude toward the events in our lives. There are so many perspectives on any given occurance, but the one that leaves our hearts joyful and the load of our burdens lighter is the one we have welcomed God to be a part of. I asked my mom if she felt better after having laughed and she said..."Yes...I really needed that"....and that's when it settled in my heart that laughter truly is something we need more of in our lives...so laugh and be jovial...it is a remedy God gives us access to uniquely and abundantly.

Lord, allow me to see the humor in life. Please don't let me take life too seriously. Remind me to share my happiness with others - my smile may be the only one another person receives today. Amen