Laughter

I cannot comprehend life without laughter. For all the issues my crazy family has (or has had), my house was filled with it when I was growing up. And not just the man,-that-was-a-good-joke kind of laughter. The kind where you-pee-in-your-pants (especially my mom) (sorry, Mom, if you're reading this), can't-even-stand-up, can't-catch-your-breath, and just-might-be-sore-the-next-morning laughter. Not just on special rare occasions, but all the time. Now I've grown up, and guess what? There's laughter in my house, too! I love it!

I have a friend who says she doesn't remember much laughter in her home as a kid. Not that her home was unhappy, but I think that comes with the territory with no siblings, and both parents working. One of the reasons I love having three kids and want many, many more is because there is just that much more joy! The more people you have in an immediate family, the more personalities start coming together and interacting, and that is almost always interesting at the very least, and really funny and a joy to be around, at the most.

God loves laughter and joy, too!

Psalm 126:2 'Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.'

Genesis 21: 6 'And Sarah said, "God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me."'

Luke 6:21 'Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.'

Nehemiah 8:10 'Then he said unto them, "Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."'

Nehemiah 12:43 ' Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.'

Psalm 5:11 'But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.'

Luke 15:10 'Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.'

III John 1:4 'I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.'

Joy is even listed as a fruit of the spirit!! Galatians 5:22-23 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.'

If you go to Bible Gateway and search 'joy,' you will get 187 results, just from the King James Version!! Take a few minutes to think about this today, or for the next few days. Yes, we all have our issues, and we all have bad days, but if I talked to your spouse, or your kids, or a close friend, would they say that you are a person who is filled with joy? Or a person who laughs long and often?

Joy and laughter are such gifts. Not just to us, which they really are!, but to the people around us, too. It is very hard to stay in a bad mood when someone near you is laughing with unabandoned glee. It is hard to be cranky when the person you interact with the most is filled with pure joy. Bless those who are around you today. Laugh, smile, and praise the Lord for all your blessings!!!