Holy Humor

(Isn't this the cutest little kid EVER?! Our lovely lady who does the slide show for our worship has used this picture a few times... I just can't get enough of him!)

"Whatever we are waiting for - peace of mind, contentment, grace, inner awareness - it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart."

--Simple Abundance

"Sacred space and sacred time and something joyous to do is all we need. Almost anything then becomes a continuous and increasing joy."

--Joseph Campbell

Today, at church, was Holy Humor Sunday:

"Today's Holy Humor Sunday has it's roots in history. For centuries, in Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant countries, Easter Monday and "Bright Sunday (the Sunday after Easter) were observed by the faithful as "days of joy and laughter" with parties and picnics to celebrate Jesus' resurrection.Parishioners and pastors played practical jokes on each other, drenched each other with water, sang, and danced. It was a time for clergy and people to tell jokes and to have fun.The custom of Easter Monday and Bright Sunday celebrations were rooted in the musings of early church theologians (like Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa, and John Chrysostom) that God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. Easter was "God's supreme joke played on death.""

It was quite the worship service!

Jokes, like this one (I thought it was cute...):

A Jewish father was troubled by the way his son turned out, and went to see his Rabbi about it. "I brought him up in the faith, gave him a very expensive barmitzvah, cost me a fortune to educate him. Then he tells me last week he has decided to be a Christian! Rabbi, where did I go wrong?""Funny you should come to me," said the Rabbi. "Like you I, too, brought my boy up in the faith, put him through University, cost me a fortune, then one day he, too, tells me he has decided to become a Christian." "What did you do?" asked the father."I turned to God for the answer" replied the Rabbi."And what did he say?" pressed the father."God said, 'Funny you should come to me...' "

joyful songs (including one sung by the children - John the Baptist Ate Bugs for Lunch, Yum Yum Yum!),
and a funny video clip...

For those who picture God as stern and unloving, this worship would have been quite the shock! Instead, we focused on the gift that laughter is - a gift from God.

And laughter to me easily feeds into gratefulness. Everyday, as I look back at my "things I am thankful for today" lists - over half of those things probably made me smile, chuckle, giggle, belly laugh, or outright laugh til I cried! I can't imagine a life without laughter... That is sacred to me. I don't need to have a special sacred place or time to set aside for joy. "Sacred" is laughing with those you love everyday and appreciating those moments.

What made you laugh today?
Megs

Things I am thankful for today:

1. Jake, Matt, and Kaitlin in confirmation - such good questions!
2. The church raised more than enough to make me full time! Wa-hoo!
3. Holy Humor Sunday - fun and uplifting.
4. Coffee with Travis and Brittany this afternoon. Lots of laughs.
5. A LONG nap.
6. The hubby organizing the garage - lots to give to Goodwill!
7. White hot cocoa. Yum.
8. New episodes of good shows. Especially "Brothers and Sisters."
9. A surprise foot rub!
10. A rainy lazy day.