h2odevos encores 030412 The Harvest of Our Laughter

"Rest will follow labors, hope will answer fear

The harvest of our laughter for the seeds we sow in tears

We work, we worry, strive for faith. Lord light my way

All the while we're in the arms of love we can't escape"

Light My Way by Peter Mayer & Patricia O'Reilly

I am captivated by that line, "the harvest of our laughter". Often we think that laughter is just silliness. I don't think we could probably make a more serious mistake. Victor Borge once said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." I think he is correct in his analysis. Laughter is a gift. It is a bridge. It gives hope and brings healing.

Laughter is important to do on a daily basis. I've read that children laugh over 400 times per day while adults laugh on average about 14 times per day. I'm wondering why children get it right and we so often are too uptight. I didn't want to say, get it "wrong" because how can you get laughter wrong? I mean, just asking the question, "Is there a right way to laugh or a wrong way to giggle?" could provoke laughter in certain groups.

Peter's song is a joyful reminder about the reversal of fortunes which is realized when we know who we are and whose we are. It accurately restates the words of Psalm 126:

"1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
   we were like those who dream.
 2Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
   and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
   'The Lord has done great things for them.'
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
   and we rejoiced.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
   like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears
   reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
   bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
   carrying their sheaves." (Psalm 126)

You might want to invest a  few moments today to chortle, chuckle, crack-up, crow, fit, gesture, giggle, glee, guffaw, har-de-har, hilarity, howling, laugh, merriment, mirth, peal, rejoicing, roar, shout, shriek, snicker, snigger, snort, sound, tehee, titter, and yuk!

peace,

rtg