Good Morning Friends.
As indicated yesterday, “Today’s Post” will be focused on Laughter. But before you read the material below, I want to invite you for the next 12 hours to take a break from checking your iPhone or Computer every few minutes – and from watching the non-stop 24/7 News feeds from your favourite station. While you are staying home, except to go out for the necessities of life; and while you are regularly washing your hands, and making sure to stay hydrated (drinking water, tea, coffee, juice, milk etc.) try giving yourself a rest – physically, emotionally and spiritually – by ignoring the news for this time. Since you can’t do anything to change what is happening with COVID-19 – focus instead on something life-giving. The News tonight when your 12 hour “fast” is over – won’t be that much different than it is this morning. Happy Reading!
“Laughter – The Best Medicine!”
“The human race has one really effective weapon and that is laughter.”
Mark Twain
Of course, those of you of a certain age will remember that there was a section of Reader’s Digest that for many years had the title I’ve borrowed above.
“A poodle and a collie are walking together when the poodle suddenly pours his heart out to his friend. ‘My life is a mess,’ he says. ‘My owner is mean. My girlfriend ran off with a schnauzer. I’m as jittery as a cat!’
‘Why don’t you go see a psychiatrist?’ asks the collie.
‘I can’t,’ says the poodle. ‘I’m not allowed on the couch!’
Perhaps it is an “urban myth” – but it has been said that children laugh as many as 300 times each day. Several blogs on the topic of laughter indicate that the average adult laughs 15-20 times each day. Even if the number 300 is exaggerated – it is clear than children laugh many more times each day than do adults.
Reader’s Digest really was on to something with that title. Psychology Today (www.psychologytoday.com) in an article with the same title as this Post, states:
“. .there is lots of evidence that laughter does lots of good things for us.
- It reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort.
- It reduces blood sugar levels, increasing glucose tolerance in diabetics and nondiabetics alike.
- It improves your job performance, especially if your work depends on creativity and solving complex problems.
- Its role in intimate relationships is vastly underestimated and it really is the glue of good marriages. It synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener so that they are emotionally attuned.”
Question: What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t work?
Answer: A stick.
Question: Why don’t cats play poker in the jungle?
Answer: There are too many cheetahs.
On a Facebook page for beginning artists, one asked: “Any suggestions for painting dogs?” Another responded: “Wait till they’re asleep.”
Alright, maybe some of these could be called “Groaners”. But there are some very funny jokes available on-line – just type in jokes in your Search Engine – and you’ll have a great selection. (Mind you, you might want to stipulate “clean jokes” because there are some very raunchy, racist, sexist etc. ones that aren’t funny but claim to be.) There are also very funny videos on YouTube – check out “Best Cat Videos of 2019”. There are also some very funny movies – depending on your taste. Some would be offended by the movies of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” – they definitely tickle my funny bone. Also check out “Death at a Funeral” (British Humour), “Waking Ned Divine”. (I’ve seen both several times and I still laugh uproariously!), another is “The Prince’s Bride”. (You might find these on Netflix, or you might have to rent them on-line.) Do you have any suggestions for others about funny movies that make you laugh?
Sometimes preachers have given folk the impression that “Religion” is a serious matter – and discouraged laughter. I think you know I’m not in that group. For me, laughing together and praying together are close friends.
Finally, for today, I remind you of the words of a hymn in our Voices United Hymn Book – it is called “Give to Us Laughter”. Words written by our former Moderator The Right Rev. Walter Farquharson, Music by Ron Klusmeier:
- Give to us laughter O Source of our life. Laughter can banish so much of our strife. Laughter and love give us wholeness and health. Laughter and love are the coin of true wealth.
- Give to us laughter as sign of deep joy; let us in laughter find Christian employ, joining with stars and with bright northern lights, laughing and praising and sharing delights.
- Why do we worry that we will lose face? Why act like king for the whole human race? Often with family and often with friend, laughing at pride causes anguish to end.
- Even in sorrow and hour of grief, laughter and tears bring most healing relief. God give us laughter and God give us peace, joys of your presence among us increase.
In the third chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes, there is a line that the 1960’s Rock Group, The Byrds immortalized in their song: “Turn, turn, turn.” I quote that line as my end-piece today:
“For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:
. . . .a time to weep and a time to laugh.”
Let laughter ring!
Blessings to each and all,
Rev. Phil.
