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Thursday, May 8, 2008

It's Okay to Laugh

Bad days. We all have them, don’t we? I wish we could mark them on our calendar. I mean, wouldn’t it be nice to see that next Thursday at 10:30 a.m., a bad day would occur? I think I’d like that. A lot. (Well, as much as you can like bad days.)

Because I like to be prepared.

Of course, life doesn’t happen that way. Take the other bad day for instance: My hubby called to say he would be home late. This should have been a clue.

In the next hour, my baby’s high chair would overturn (with her in it) due to an overzealous big brother playing peekaboo. My entire pot of Texas chili, also known as dinner, would be dumped onto the floor and my toddler. A special bowl my Grandmother passed down to me would break, my daughter would fall off her bed backwards, scraping her back against the wall, the animal toothbrush holder I bought to coordinate would shatter and I would ground two out of three of my children. Whew!

When my husband arrived, I high-fived him and went to my place of renewal: Target.

As I shopped and touched everything in the store, alone, without my children, I couldn’t help but think of the scripture that God has brought to mind over and over the past few months to remind me to lighten up, especially on bad days.

Sarah is referring to her unexpected, but desired pregnancy in Genesis 21:6, “"Sarah said, 'God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." I love this story. I love it because it’s talking about a woman who desired to have a child, a woman who becomes a Mom.

I love Sarah’s attitude. First of all, she’s completely human and laughs at God. I don’t exactly encourage this. But I’m glad her doubt and her humanity is recorded in Scripture. It makes me feel a lot better about me.

But God is gracious to her and gives her a child when she is very old. I won’t elaborate, but I think God has a sense of humor too. Can you imagine being nearly 100 years old and preggo? I can just see her with her walker, tubes of Ben-gay while she’s knitting booties. Yes, God definitely loves laughter.

Secondly, Sarah embraces the unexpected; she takes the absurd in stride. She chooses to laugh, to rejoice in her situation. And as we probably all can recall, later in her son’s life, Isaac is faced with certain death at the hand’s of Sarah’s husband. Well. She’s quite the woman in my book. Throughout her life, she makes wise and unwise choices, just like us.

But I love her for her laughter. That’s a hard choice, especially on a bad day.

But the awesome thing is, there’s a new one, every day.

So, laugh a little.

Photobucket

Daily you can find Kristen laughing at her blogspot, "We are THAT Family."

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14 Comments:

Blogger Denise said...

Laughter is sweet medicine for the soul, bless you.

May 8, 2008 at 2:12 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this; laughter really has to be a choice sometimes.

~Andrea

May 8, 2008 at 7:10 AM  
Blogger The Buntens said...

Laugh or Scream. It really is a choice. You know I deal with this all the time from my past posts. Great devotion, Kristen. Really hit home for me.

May 8, 2008 at 7:38 AM  
Blogger Mocha with Linda said...

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Prov. 17:22

Thanks for this reminder!

May 8, 2008 at 7:52 AM  
Blogger windycindy said...

I always say that if we don't laugh, we would cry! I don't think I would want to know when a bad day was going to occur because I would worry until that point wasting my good days! As I age, I try to laugh at life a lot more. Thanks,Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

May 8, 2008 at 12:33 PM  
Blogger Allison said...

Awesome post :) As I was reading what happened in your day I was like "ooh" "ouch" "oh man" but then...Oh God...in a good way of course because He reminds us that it isn't what happens in our day that matters, but how we choose to react to it - either in praise or in tears, it is all a choice. God bless!

May 8, 2008 at 12:33 PM  
Blogger Becca M. said...

Love it! Laughter is definitely key, especially when showing the world how you react to situations!

May 8, 2008 at 3:50 PM  
Blogger Julie said...

Don't you just feel better when you laugh????

When life is beating down and you just get away and find some funny things to laugh about, life just doesn't seem as overbearing.

Thanks for sharing this...it was really good.

I am sorry for your hard day. I used to call those "Calgon Days"....you know a day when you just need a "Calgon take me away"... (For those who don't remember the commercials Calgon is a bubble bath)

May 8, 2008 at 4:36 PM  
Blogger LA Nickers said...

How I love to know that God has a great sense of humor.

Look around. He surely does!

Blessings,
Linda

CRACKING GOD UP

May 8, 2008 at 7:16 PM  
Blogger lori said...

We had ONE of THOSE days in THIS house this week....just plain old, rotten bad....I did what any self respecting woman of 40 would do...I went out and laid on the driveway...I laid out there, basked in the sunshine and laughed because I knew NO ONE would look for me out there...

The sun was shining and I was having my moment! I kind of think Sarah was a lie in the driveway kind of gal....

Now a few minutes later, THEY FOUND ME, can't hide from the PEOPLE long...one even said..."mom, you look weird." THAT made me LAUGH all the more....

THANKS for the reminder....I LAUGH a lot!!

great!!!!!!great!!!!!!great!!!!!
YOU make me laugh!
blessings!
lori

May 8, 2008 at 9:32 PM  
Blogger Missy said...

Oh, Kristen. I thought that was you peeking in my windows this afternoon. I have been fighting with my 3 year old daughter all day long. It is so discouraging and so depressing and I get scared that I am in for 15 more years of this, and doing it all wrongly. And my husband is wonderful but you know what? He so totally doesn't get it.

Thanks for the reminder that Sarah ALSO had a three year old, eventually! Maybe the reason she got so ticked off at Hagar at his weaning was really because she was ticked off at Isaac because after all, Isaac was about 3. Only child. Long awaited for. Probably a total pill!

I think I am taping that verse in my kitchen!

May 9, 2008 at 12:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When I can laugh about a difficulty, I know that I've reached the point where I've released it to Him and I'm able to trust Him with it. (AND when I'm not able to release it and trust God with the problem, believe me, there ain't no laughing going on!)

Great Insight Kristen!

May 9, 2008 at 12:17 AM  
Blogger Susan said...

Oh, this was sooooooooooo good! I love your sense of humor and your spirit of JOY!

Happy Mother's Day Kristen!

May 9, 2008 at 12:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

God bless you for this - I can't tell you how much I needed to hear your words right this minute. It's been one of those days & it's so lovely to be reminded that it's not just me, but also that it doesn't hurt to shrug it off and have a laugh.

I also have to say here that Target is my go-to "I'm in tears & I need to see & touch shiny, clean things" place.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Have a beautiful day & God bless you!!

May 9, 2008 at 3:54 PM  

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