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A Silly Sort

Writer's picture: DeborahDeborah

Series: Flowers in the Desert




2 Corinthians 5:1-5 ESV

*2 Corinthians 5:6-7 MSG


‘When I was a younger wo-man’ I was much sillier than I am now (if you can believe that is possible’ for I am a very silly sort).


People often tell me they heard me coming.


I know that’s because they heard me laughing.


It happens to be my favorite pastime. See, I don’t need to be with others to laugh. The paddle plant for the illustration today even made me laugh...what a funny plant God created!


Even when I was young, laughing was one of my favorite things to do. I’m not sure why, but I suspect my da asked God to teach me to love laughter.


The really silly thing about my childhood is that when I was alone in my room I would do things that made me laugh.


I laughed at my own thoughts.


I laughed when my feet stumbled (and they did stumble). I’m not sure why my feet stumble, but they are very small feet. Until I had children my feet were a size 4 in (US) women’s shoes. After being pregnant five times I ended up wearing a women’s size 5 shoes.


When I was small I would laugh when I stumbled.


Many many many moons later, I still laugh even when I’m alone. I often say funny things to my dog. In turn, he raises his head and looks at me like, “now, that’s funny!” then he goes back to sleep which makes me laugh.


In other words, I’m my own entertainment. (I’ve even had people tell me that.)


Sometimes when I was young when I was really really happy and I thought something was really really funny, I would joyously scream.


Uh…I found out that was a definite ‘no’.


Little by little (no pun intended) through the years I learned (or was harshly taught) that laughter isn’t always okay.


In elementary school I laughed to myself out-loud during quiet time and I got in trouble. It was pretty bad in first grade. My laughter made my teacher so mad that she would get in my face with a ‘Shhhhh” and spray me with her ‘spittle’. That was gross and it did not make me laugh.


I laughed quietly to myself in Sunday School and I got in trouble.


At other times through the years in school when I laughed to myself other children would point and make fun of me or they would threaten me (which was pretty ‘scarey’ given my size).


When my children were young I would get chided by others when I laughed because they did something they “weren’t supposed to do”. Mind you, what they did wasn’t bad by my standard. My children are absolutely hilarious (even today). Every one of them has their own ‘voice’ when it comes to humor and all of them could do standup comedy.


I learned when I was a young adult that everyone didn’t agree what happened was funny.


So I stopped laughing.


At least I stopped laughing out-loud.


I learned to smile but on the inside I was laughing.


2 Corinthians 5:1-5 tells us, “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.”


The good news, the really GOOD NEWS for me is that I discovered at some point  when I’m in my earthly tent…when it’s just me and God, it’s okay to laugh.


Being with God in my secret fort makes me smile.


I envision heaven as being a place where I can run and laugh all I want.


No one will give me the ‘shut-up’ look.


So, when I read the Apostle Paul’s words, I smile and give a little inward chuckle.


2 Corinthians 5:6-7 says, “That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going.”


By faith I know on the inside God is smiling. God laughs with me. God even thinks I’m funny.


In my space with God, it’s okay to be so happy that I laugh out-loud.


For now, I have my children who are funny. We laugh and it’s okay.


For now, when I’m alone I sing silly songs to my dog and we laugh. Well, he doesn’t actually laugh, but he does raise his head.


That’s good enough for me.


Spiritual Practice: Laugh


Sit with God today and laugh, or discover you can laugh when you’re in your tent with God.


In God, Deborah


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About Me

I am a child of God. I can’t remember when God wasn’t part of my life. I served in a church setting for 30+ years and now I seek to help others see and find their sacred space. Daily when we turn to God we begin to recognize where God is at work in our lives.

 

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