Laughter...

...is good.

I am so thankful that the Lord gives us joy and laughter. There's nothing quite like the feeling of joy that wells up in your soul and spills out in contagious laughter. I love being able to laugh at myself, like when I use the wrong words together in a sentence, like telling Caleb that the day is "dreary" when I meant "picturesque" - to laugh at the craziest things that people say or do, like snickering with Craig and Jen when Mr. Sanchez starts reenacting stories in Bible geography - to laugh at things that don't make sense - to laugh at mistakes I and others make - to laugh when something unexpected happens, like me telling Jim that he would probably be scared when I dropped him back into his fishbowl, then screaming myself when he wouldn't come out of the mug he was in, making all the girls on my floor laugh at me - to laugh when God answers prayer in amazing, unexepected ways, like when He gives my friends and I three chances in one week to spend time with the same couple we are trying to reach for Christ (will He ever stop?!).

I love watching people laugh. Something in me goes "Yes!" and pumps a fist when people around me laugh - the kind of laughter that reaches their eyes. You know they are happy and that at that minute they are rejoicing. Oh, how we need to laugh more!

Last night Naomi and I were praying together and she said something and we both laughed - right in the middle of our talk with the Lord. I long to have a confidence in the Lord that brings His joy into my heart no matter what my circumstances. I want to be able to laugh even when I feel like crying, because I know that God is on the throne and that everything will be okay. I want to be able to laugh even when I'm disappointed. I want to smile with my friends who are experiencing things I want to experience and am not. I want to keep snickering at people who laugh at themselves even if they're not very funny, if for no other reason than that it makes them laugh harder. I want to have a merry heart that does good like medicine. I can't wait to see Jesus smile when I see Him face to face. I can't wait to have that radiant, eternal joy that nothing can mar or take away.

Yet, I CAN have it here... "These things I have spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full." (John 15) If I abide in Jesus, and draw everything I need from Him, MY JOY WILL BE FULL!!!

Let's draw our sustenance from our Savior and let His joy fill our hearts...let's laugh with the joy of the Lord, for truly, therein lies our strength. It's a confidence that He is in control and that He is making me like Jesus and I can let go of everything that hinders that joy and let Him flood my soul with laughter.