Laughter Heals the Serious Soul

There are times when I feel very concerned and serious. This past week one of those weeks. My daughter broke her leg and had surgery to install a metal plate and screws for stability. She has been in good spirits and is recovering nicely. Naturally, I credit a thousand prayers from family and friends, as well as the great mercy of God that created us to to heal and renew. Our whole family has teamed together to help our daughter with all the daily necessities. Even the children have provided hugs, songs and words of encouragement. It is a wonder to see so much love. Even so, I struggled to hang onto joy.

Then one morning, I proceeded to take a shower and did not realize I was still wearing glasses until I started to wash my face. Imagine my surprise. There will never be an end to my accidental antics. I laughed out loud and it echoed in the tiled chamber. Laughter is medicine. When a situation is stressful and tiresome, I am suddenly renewed when I find humor and a hardy hahaha.

There are no clowns in the Bible to follow by example, but there are many Psalms of joy. Proverbs may warn against foolishness which can be convicting. I cling to the words of David when he sings about the return of fortune.

Psalm 126:2 “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

It may take a few days to get past the worrisome, the dreadful, or the devastating. I believe the Holy Spirit works ceaselessly in our heart and in our family to give us hope. Nothing else has the magic or the power to reverse our outlook and allow us to see the good in the world. As Jesus explained to his disciples, he was sending the Holy Spirit to be an advocate when He would no longer be visibly present.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26

He also referred to God as His Father when He taught us to pray. Since then we recognize the Trinity of Father, Son, and Spirit. The Trinity offers all we need in every phase and transition of life. They represent wisdom, friendship and joy; but so much more. The three in one God embodies an everlasting life full of promise and hope.

My glasses are now cleaner and I certainly see the source of love more clearly. The clouds of seriousness have parted to let the sun shine through and hope has returned. Let the work of the Holy Spirit be mighty in your lives and let laughter fill your mouths. I believe it is a joy that is without end.

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Where is the Father?

Our third daughter just celebrated her 33rd birthday. Her Grandpa loved to tell the story about how she almost arrived in his car. He liked to add that I asked him to coach me in the delivery room. Here is the real story.

My hubby was on business in Kentucky while I was in our Ashtabula, Ohio home writing a sermon for “Women’s Sunday”. The girls were asleep, so I called hubs to check in.

“Hi honey, I thought we could brainstorm for my sermon on Sunday since the scripture is about the greatest law and you are my favorite lawyer,” I said. “Oh, by the way, I might be having some Braxton Hicks contractions; they are not painful so I am sure they will go away when I fall asleep.”

“Maybe you should call my parents and put them on alert.” He replied.

“It is three weeks early, surely this is a false alarm,” I said. “ And, I cannot do this without you.”

“There is no way I can get home until tomorrow, so cross your legs.” He said.

“Right, that will work. Don’t worry, I am sure by just telling you about the contractions they will go away like they did with our first baby.”

“Okay, Kim call me back if anything changes. Love you very much.”

I decided to call my in-laws so they would be on ‘stand-by’ to take me to the hospital if necessary.

“Hi dad, sorry to call so late, but I might be having contractions and you know Stuart is out of town for another day.” I said calmly.

“We will be right over,’ he said.

“Well, I doubt they are the real thing, but I wanted to let you know in case they continue.”

“How far apart, mom wants to know?”

“Oh, about five minutes, but there is no pain.”

“Okay, well, call if you need anything. I can drive you to the hospital and mom can stay with the girls. We stay up late to watch the news, so don’t hesitate.”

“Thanks Dad, I’ll probably talk to you tomorrow.” I felt grateful to have in-laws just a couple blocks away. My own parents lived in New Jersey and I would give them a jingle tomorrow.

The contractions continued, but started to increase in intensity. It was only Tuesday evening – I had five days to finish and practice delivering my sermon aloud. It looked like another delivery was going to take the lead. I felt distracted and started walking around the room and conversing with God. “If I do have the baby tonight, I think I can still be in the pulpit by Sunday. Right?” “But Lord that is a lot of pressure even for my “super mom” mentality. You do not want me to have a baby without a father do you?” Then my hubby called.

“How is it going, I can’t sleep, are you okay?” He asked.

“I talked to your parents and they said they would come over if i need them. My contractions are five minutes apart and I am starting to feel pressure. I think I will go to the hospital and see what is going on”. “Is there any way you could rent a car and get here if the baby is coming?”

“It would be a seven hour drive, so it doesn’t make much sense to arrive at five in the morning. I will get on the first flight available at six am.” He said.

That was not what I wanted to hear, but I agreed, and the sermon sat on the coffee table unfinished. “ Oh Lord, I feel so abandoned right now.”
I called my in-laws and they were over before I got done checking on the girls and grabbing an overnight bag.

“Hi honey, did you know there was an earthquake in San Francisco a couple hours ago?” my father in-law asked. My body was having birth pangs every two minutes at the same time the tectonic plates were shifting in California.

“No, I haven’t had the TV on, I hope it is not serious. Let me grab a towel and we can get going.”

“What is that for?” asked Dad, “You will not have this baby in the car!”

“Of course not! But my water might break.” I warned. We buckled up and my fervent prayers started at that moment while I did some deep breathing.

“Oh Lord, please get me to the hospital in time. I hope my father-in-law will not be in the room trying to coach me through this delivery. Lord, please quiet this baby so I can return home to finish my message for Sunday. Lord, how can I do this without my loving hubby?” And then Dad turned the corner so sharply that it threw me into a hard labor pain and I yelped.

Story to be continued tomorrow…

Gray and Beige

This week, two new love seats arrived. Hubby and I went to Ethan Allen two months ago hoping to find something on sale. I found decorator pillows, he found a couch with the color and style to match the pillows. Now that they are perfectly placed in the room, I decided the pillows are  completely wrong and the carpet needs to be replaced. Hubby rolled his eyes and laughed when I ran out to find new pillows to add a pop of color. My dilemma was pulling together beiges and grays. So many neutral tones left the room cold and uninviting – in my humble opinion.

Naturally, I sent pictures to trusted family and friends who have a decorator flair. The opinions flowed in swiftly. One daughter gave the best advice when she said, “ Add pillows and throws, or dad, for color and texture.” Now, when I sit in the room to evaluate the two new pillows I found at a bargain price, hubby rushes in and sits on the love seat to add further texture and color. Yes, the room is perfect with him in it; but I still want to replace the carpet with something fresh and vibrant. 

The story of Mary pouring expensive oil on Jesus’s feet comes to mind. Judas chastised the woman for wasting her money on an extravagance when she could have used it to feed the poor.

Jesus had an interesting answer to Judas. Luke 12:7-8  “But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

Jesus understood the nature of poverty, the motives of Judas, and the heart of Mary. Judas stole from the money box he was to manage. He was greedy. Mary had been angry that Jesus allowed Lazarus to die, but then witnessed the resurrection of her brother. She was grateful. They both knew Jesus was heading for trouble. The poor would not be rescued with the cost of perfume. They would be redeemed by Jesus’s blood.

My decorating dollars could be sent to help victims of the floods in Florida and Pakistan. People there have lost everything, and many do not have insurance to help them replace their homes. I do not ignore their requests for help, and I am constantly weighing my decisions on where to spend money. It is my desire to create a welcoming home, one where Jesus is present. If we also welcome Jesus into our hearts, we will experience the Gospel of Peace.

My mother said, “The answers are not always black or white,” in reference to difficult questions. Many values of gray and beige are in our home – with accents of mustard yellow. Like these colors, there are a myriad of answers to questions regarding Christian values. This should be the last time I change color schemes – except perhaps for seasonal decor. Hubby will be so grateful when I kick my addiction to decorator pillows.

Lobstah Catchers

Matthew 4:19 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Fishing is hard and dangerous work.  They venture out to open water in small boats in all kinds of weather seeking their catch. This past week, I learned about the process used by lobster trappers in Maine. From the windows of our lodging overlooking Penobscot Bay, I witnessed the five o’clock a.m. departure of a dozen boats from the Owls Head Lobster Company pier, and then their steady return from noon through late afternoon. I went to the dock and observed men and women transferring live lobsters, their claws already rubber banded, from a holding tank to crates that were hauled off the boats, put on ice and trucked alway. A single boat might have six hundred or more lobsters. The company reported around 18 boats a day – that’s over 10,000 lobsters delivered to one seaport each day during the season. The trappers looked satisfied after a day’s work, even though they are often wet and cold.

I imagine those first disciples of Jesus left their boats because they were dissatisfied with their catch, compensation, and hard life. There must have been something very special about Jesus that they would leave their jobs, and even their families, to follow Him. What would “fishers of men” amount to? Gathering men to protest or riot would be frightening and risky. Jesus did not speak of insurrection. He did not discuss plans of war and a take over of the government. His message was one of healing, forgiveness, courage and love.

We still follow Jesus with a hope to change hearts. Those who live sacrificially and faithfully are true followers. They work hard to provide for the poor, help the sick, and restore the unloved and forgotten. 

Catching lobsters might be a better metaphor for those who have drifted away from their faith. The squiggle and flail in the hands of the trappers. They are not willing to be caged and chosen for someone’s elite dinner. Jesus does not propose that Christians become the next tasty meal, but instead that they live a life of freedom through His gift of salvation. Jesus ended the practice of sacrifice for sins and offered Himself as final payment. He called the fishermen to catch men’s hearts. It was not a trap. They traded fishing for yet another hard life with risks – spreading the Gospel. The disciples were judged for bending the laws. They were jeered by crowds for following a rebel who had radical ideas.

If we follow Jesus we are asked to be radical as well. Not perfect followers of the law, but lovers of humankind with all its flaws. The purpose is not to gain wealth or popularity. It is to welcome the power of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. To use our resources and gifts to the glory of God. 

Lobsters are spiny fighters. If we can gather those who are like them, it will be a satisfying day of work. We may not find them attractive or easy to catch. How amazing it would be to save six hundred souls in a boat load. Changing just one heart a day is a lofty goal. If we trust Jesus He will guide us when we are in a pinch. Let’s be fishers of people.