Musings from Graceland

LAUGHING BECAUSE I CAN
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One of my favorite things to do most days is listen to online Bible teaching compliments of KeyLife. Today, the statement was made that because of grace, we have something to laugh about even though this world can suck rotten eggs at times. Okay, okay...so they didn't say the "suck rotten eggs" part, but that was the Elysa Mac paraphrase. Some days I do cry a lot. I hear of marriages in trouble, loved ones facing grave physical challenges, friends who are struggling financially, hurricanes hitting, and even deaths and killings.

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But there is still room for laughter. No, I'm not happy that those I care about are suffering. My heart breaks for them. And yes, I want to always "mourn with those who mourn" but I also need to be able to "rejoice with those who rejoice". I need to be able to give my 9 year old son the happy, proud-of-him praises he needs when he does well in math. I need to be able to cheer whole heartedly (and very loudly too) when my daughter steals a base and scores a run. I need to throw birthday parties for kids and take tons of photos while they squeal over gifts and smear frosting everywhere. I need to act goofy and watch a Wiggles video with my little ones.

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Jesus cried and mourned...but he also partyed! He rejoiced despite the fact that He knew the pain around Him as no one else walking this earth could ever or would ever know. He would literally carry that pain for the world.

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And yet he still was able to rejoice with those who rejoiced.

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The other night I did a little silly rejoicing with my little ones when we watched that aforementioned Wiggles video. We didn't just watch it, we got up and moved to it...and laughed and laughed and laughed.

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Yes, life is hard sometimes...."sucking rotten eggs" hard sometimes. But God is good all the time. And His unmerited favor, His grace, the hope and peace that he gives me means that I can still smile...even still laugh a lot...maybe not always, but enough.