“It’s Okay To Laugh”

It may be a surprise to you but sometimes I can act a bit goofy….not all the time of course ….. and “hey I’m not really goofy, I just act that way at times”. My wife Judy is pretty use to it after 53 years of marriage. In fact, she generally doesn’t raise an eyebrow when I begin a new episode of “Goofball Does The Dishes” or “Goofball Goes to Shoprite”. I’m finding that even the grandkids don’t usually raise an eyebrow. What I sometimes wonder is “who can I relate to in these moments? Who is brilliant enough to understand the nuances of my actions during these times?” Hmmmmmmm. 

Well to be honest, I’m really directing some of this wisdom to a younger generation… a group that can understand. Yes this new cliental is maybe the  6 years old  and younger gang. They bring a lot of understanding to the table. I can bring a lot my old material out… famous songs like “Here We Go, We’re Off to Koinonia”, or “Just Because I’m A Genius”. When I’m driving in the car, I introduce them to “Lightening Man (aka “Litino Hombre”) who can miraculously get us to church on time even when we’re running late. When it’s a more serious time, I can bring out some of my famous poetry…things like “Ode To The Truck In Front Of Us”, or “Ode to the Snake That Just Fell Out of The Tree Onto Our Picnic Table”…. I’m sure you remember many of these. 

At this point I think my youngest grandson, Declan, seems to be the most astute recipient of my wisdom. He always smiles at my witty stories…he smiles at my latest song & dance routine… he smiles when I put on the red clown nose… in truth he smiles at everything. He’s very smart. (Declan’s older sister in picture)

Before you dial the “Loony Bin” and book me a room, let me tie these thoughts to something coherent and meaningful. “Hmmmmmmm. Ah, let me see……hmmmmmm. Okay, it’s coming to me now……”.

I guess some of this is a relief valve for me. We live in such a serious time with so much peril in our country and world and church that if I’m not careful, I can get too focused on all the “stuff” and start staring into space. The goofiness and laughter can lower the tension level. If I can laugh and help others to laugh, it seems to help. Maybe some of it’s “gallows humor”, but some of it is “not taking ourselves too seriously”. With the Lord, things are going to work out. Even the most difficult trials of sickness and death are in the Lord’s hands. 

While there’s not much in the scriptures of Jesus telling a joke or wearing a lampshade on his head at the feast of Cana, I still have to think there were moments with his family and friends and disciples when he would laugh and sing and maybe even dance. Maybe there was a time when he even acted a bit goofy…certainly in a dignified way, but maybe with a tinge of goofiness. I really hope he did or I think I’m in a lot of trouble. 

So let’s find some time to enjoy one another and laugh even in the midst of our trials. Schedule a game of pinochle. Go out for ice cream or even an “ice cold beer”. Maybe even act a bit goofy…. not “crazy goofy, or out of control goofy”, but maybe  “slightly goofy, a dignified goofy”. As you do this, glance over across the room and you may sense that the Lord is gazing on you with love and with a smile. If that happens, that is very good news… for you and especially for me.