At our dinner table, during my growing up years, all four of us discussed our day at work or school and then there was always time for laughter.  There were humorous twists to stories, or a new joke we learned and we were always allowed to share these at the table.  My father was very quick-witted, a trait he seems to have passed down to my brother and me.  Dad and I always read the cartoons in the paper (I still do.) Laughing was contagious and would sometimes result in tears of laughter running down my mother’s face. Loved our dinner table joy!

I have several friends who grew up in other countries and we learned through many conversations, sometimes humor doesn’t translate well.  Language and culture can “fog” up the humor allowing a funny expression to fall flat, but the Bible gives us peek at humor even through mega numbers of Its translations.

Genesis 21:6 “Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” This, of course, is referring to the news that at ninety years of age, she and Abraham would finally conceive a child. They named their son Isaac Yitzhak, which in Hebrew means “laughter” or “He-laughs.”

Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

I will continue with my light-hearted spirit and hope a funny story or two will brighten some one’s day, providing good medicine for us both. A smile given or received sometimes means laughter is soon to come.  Let the joy of laughter escape your spirit and stir up a smile or laughter in others.  Norman Cousins, in his book, Anatomy of an Illness, explains at length the benefit of laughter in his healing.

Given the options of sad or happy, I will choose happy. Funny, light-spirited, smiling, grinning, joy-filled will be the banner I carry as I praise God for loving me unconditionally and blessing me with His mercy and grace.  That’s powerful enough to make me smile!

Jill