Gratitude: Learned Laughter

Smile: Everything looks better with a mustache. On our walk Haddie and I could only manage to find things that needed a little "something" extra. That "something"- a mustache, and we were thankful for the "Mustache Me App", awkward women gnomes, graffiti, faces on trees, and other yard figurines. Mustaches make me laugh.

Gratitude: Learned Laughter

That friend who rolls on the floor laughing, a grandmother who giggles in any situation, a laugh so hard you slap your knee and struggle to breathe, laughs that turn to snorts and hurt abs, a babies deep bellied full laugh- these are a good medicine. Joy is one of the most dangerous weapons in the kingdom of God. 

I feel like in almost every hard moment there is the chance to become anxious, sad, angry or ( insert your own emotion) and then looming on the other side is laughter.  I picture him as that annoying "Mr.Tickle" that I have read a million and one times with Adrian. Peeking from behind a door, or under a table, watching, and waiting. Waiting to see if you will choose Joy- Joy in all circumstances. It is a rare person who will- I am blessed to know several of them. People who in the midst of hardship see "Mr. Tickle" and take him up on his offer to laugh rather than be pulled into the down spiral of a fallen world. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying to deny what you are really feeling and laugh, but what if instead of letting our emotions rule us, we put them in their place and decided to laugh?

Think of a time you've been irritated this week, got in a fight with a friend, roommate or spouse. Think about the time the kids made a huge mess; What was your response? What if it had been laughter? What if you had not let it phase you and took the higher road of Joy? How would that day have been different? How would today be different? What if we took off the white gloves of control and expectation in a broken messy world, and dug our hands into the mud laughing?

Hear me out, I said "I know several of these people." I did not claim to be one of them, but I sure want to learn how. Learn. Paul speaks of learning to be content in all circumstances in chapter four of Philippians. The greek word for learn here is:

Manqano: to increase one's knowledge, be appraised, to hear, to be informed, to learn by use and practice, to be in the habit of, accustomed to.

Philippians 4:11-12 

" I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or with little."

In "One thousand gifts" Voskamp writes about this learned Joy. Paul says it twice, it must be important; This secret Paul discovered. In the verses preceding, Paul says:

Phil 4: 4-7  

" Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." 

Paul says, REJOICE always, be anxious for NOTHING, and in EVERYTHING, with THANKSGIVING give it to the Lord and His PEACE will be yours. If I am taking the Bible at it's word- no wiggling to make it more comfortable or give myself excuses, this sounds pretty explicit. I have the choice to offer thanksgiving when I could become anxious. I have the choice to receive his peace in every situation. 

I have the CHOICE to Laugh. It is learned. I must train to make it a habit. To let go of the reins, and even just laugh at the thought that I was Lord of my life. "Here you go God, you're right, you'd take much better care of this situation than I would, and I'm sorry for thinking it was too big for you. Ha! Everything is finite compared to your infinite glory."

Philippians 4:13 

" I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." 

Verse 13 is one of the most quoted and over used verses in Scripture. We tattoo it on our bodies, and tag it on our emails, but do we actually use it. Have we gotten the secret Paul was talking about and put it to practice to learn to use it? 

       I can't will myself to be joyful when being provoked. I can't will myself to serve my roommate when they drive me crazy and I have to pick up after them. I can't will myself to smile at the person who just cut me off in traffic. I can't will myself to love all the "flaws" I am seeing in my spouse. I cannot will myself to have peace with children screaming and running all over the place. That's the point. I can't, but He can. 

I can call on Him and thank Him for the family I have and the opportunity to love them. I can thank him for being able to live with a friend and turn on my favorite music and dance and laugh while I clean up the apartment to serve them. I can thank him for not being in a hurry when someone else is this morning, and bless instead of curse them through him. I can thank him that He loves me in all my brokenness and imperfections and I can love my spouse (in the future) because of that. And in the chaos I can thank him for the spirit alive in my kids (again future-or shout out to my nannies!) and the opportunity to scream at the top of my lungs and play with them embracing the child like that He calls me to. Embracing the Joy. Training myself in the spirit of Thanksgiving, and simply Laugh.

The best things in life are free, but not easy. Let's practice the art of being Joyful in all circumstances, because honestly, wouldn't you rather Laugh? This is a skill that will serve us the rest of our lives.