“A cheerful heart is good medicine…” Proverbs 17:22
Once there was a new bride who was determined to be the perfect Suzy Homemaker. So, early in their marriage she began the habit of making her husband’s lunches. One day, as he came through the door from work, he said, “Are you mad at me?”
Confused, she said, “No, why?”
Amanda Turner and I get ready for a night of comedy. Did you know that it’s really dark in comedy clubs? And by the way, that’s just water in the cup—just in case you wondered.
“Well,” he said, “You left the wrapper on the cheese today. I almost choked to death on my sandwich.”
The young couple laughed off the mistake, and the bride continued making her husband’s sandwiches.
Sometime later, as he came home for the evening, he said, “Uh, you did it again.”
The wife kind of chuckled; her husband didn’t.
She made a mental note to try harder to make wrapper-free sandwiches.
All went well for a while, and then, one night, her husband said rather sternly, “Please, don’t make my lunches anymore.”
Apparently, the wife set the bread on the tuna fish lid while making his sandwich. Unbeknownst to her, when she assembled the sandwich, the lid had stuck. Her husband almost broke a tooth when he bit into it.
Suzy Homemaker never made her husband’s lunches again, but I am happy to report that they are still married.
Last week, I asked my “girls” to share funny stories that I could use as illustrations in some of my writings. This was one of the stories that was shared (by Suzy Homemaker herself). As each story rolled in, I laughed a little harder. It was amazing how much better I felt as the day went on.
There is no better medicine that laughter. It boosts endorphins, helps lower pain, burns calories and has a myriad of mental health benefits.
Moody Molavi poses with me and my husband, Ian. Moody was born in Iran and shares some of his story in his hilarious comedy act.
Last Saturday night, my husband and I went on a very rare date. It was actually a double date with our friends, Greg and Amanda. They had requested that we join them on a visit to Zanies, a legendary comedy club in Nashville, TN. We went to see Christian comedian Jeff Allen and were also treated to an opening performance by Moody Molavi. I laughed more and harder than I have in over a year. I laughed until tears were running down the side of my face. I laughed so much I was certain I had burned off that high-calorie cheese cake I ate. It was so much fun.
I have been accused (on more than one occasion) of being too serious. But really, there is nothing I enjoy more than laughing with my friends and family. Some of my best memories with my boys are sitting around the dinner table talking and laughing. Some of my best memories with my mom and sisters include telling funny stories on ourselves. One of our sweetest and dearest friends is known for her comical contributions, and sometimes I make requests for reruns of her entertaining predicaments.
Laughter is such a blessing. And don’t tell me that God doesn’t have a sense of humor. Have you ever seen pictures of a star-nosed mole or the proboscis monkey? And what about those Bible stories? Just read about the reluctant prophet, Balaam, and his talking donkey or the story of Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. It brings me great comfort to think of God laughing. And why shouldn’t He? He is the one who gave us the gift of laughter in the first place.
Jeff Allen is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict who draws his humor from real life. He reminded us that “tragedy plus time often equals comedy.”
Our days are often filled with the mundane. The monotony and stress of everyday life can wear us down. God gave us laughter to help lighten our moods, to bring us joy, to remind us of the days to come where we won’t be burdened by the worries of this world.
But here’s the thing. Sometimes, laughter is like the lid of a tuna fish can hidden in a sandwich. You just won’t find it until you look—or bite.
So, whether it’s watching your cat play with his water bowl or watching your grandchild play in the mud, I encourage you to look for the comedy in your life today. Read the comics. Watch humorous DVDs. Look up funny jokes. Corner the comedy. Generate the joy. Because maybe, just maybe, if we try looking for funnies, we won’t be as quick to get frustrated. I think it’s worth a try. What about you?
Tell me. What made you laugh today?