The Grateful Heart: Laughter

Yesterday, I attended the Veterans' Day ceremony at Toyota. Smiling, waving children from one of the daycare programs entertained with animated singing. They were so cute that we all smiled and laughed, not because they were humorous but because of the joy inherent in the presence of happy, singing children. 

Later, I had a meeting at my accountant's office. I needed to file a report online but didn't know how to access the form to complete it. In just a few minutes, the form was done, fee was paid, and we were finished. We laughed, not because it was humorous, but because it was so much easier than either of us had expected.

When I returned home, the Wonder Dogs were so happy to see me that they ran in circles around me for so long, I thought they might collapse from exhaustion. They tumbled over each other and played like puppies. I laughed again.

I was reading in Genesis 17 today and came to the pivotal passage where God made His covenant with Abram and changed his name to Abraham. He also told 99-year old Abraham that Sarah would bear a son. Abraham "fell on his face and laughed".  (17:17)

All that laughter reminded me of one of my mother's favorite verses. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." (Prov.17:22)  

Last year a research article from Loma Linda University offered "proof" that God's word is true. This was a tiny study done on 20 healthy, older adults.  Half the people watched funny videos. The other half sat quietly and talked. Salivary cortisol levels (stress hormone) and a short-term learning test were given at intervals. The cortisol levels went down and both learning and recall improved in the "humor" group.  

I didn't need a study to convince me a good laugh is good for me. For today, I'm grateful for the cleansing, healing power of laughter and thanking God that even the silliness of life can be used for great good. 

Go ahead. Laugh until you feel better. 

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photo courtesy of freeimages.com

In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: Maggie: Eye Protection, Maggie: Wanting Eye Drops, Grateful Heart: Superheroes and Missions Conference , The Blessings That Were Not,  Loss of Power, and Grateful Heart: Veterans.

The most read posts of the past week: The Grateful Heart: Orchestration of God

Here are two more posts on laughter: Blending Laughter and Laughter that Hides Tears.

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#laughteristhebestmedicine #laughter #stressrelief #gratefulheart

The Grateful Heart: The Orchestration of God

I had just drifted off to sleep  last night when I got a text from my son, Ryan. He had arrived safely in San Francisco for orientation (at corporate headquarters) to his new job at Square. Over the next couple of hours, we texted back and forth as he shared pictures of his hotel room, funny signs on the street, his meal, and the restaurant where he ate dinner. 

At the first text, I was happily wide awake. As he invited me in to this significant moment in his life, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for all the seemingly unrelated decisions that made this day possible. 

Education decisions, employment decisions, talent, and perseverance (on both my part and Ryan's) were all weaved together by God's loving hands to bring us to this place.

Many of the decisions along the way seemed insignificant, but, without even one of the decisions we made, his path might have headed in a different direction. There were disappointments that seemed devastating at the time, but God used them to help us along the way. 

It was God's plan, not mine. Today, I can see it was good.

Today, I'm grateful for my precious son and his exciting new job. 

I'm grateful for the technology that keeps us connected half a continent apart. 

I'm even more grateful for the orchestration of events that kept him in the middle of God's plan, even when I couldn't see the plan. 

Most of all, this grateful mother is overwhelmed by the fact that God loves my son more than I ever could, and that He holds Ryan, and his future, in His loving hands.

It's my favorite verse, but never more so than today:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.              

                                                                                                               Jeremiah 29:11 nasb

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Maggie The Wonder Dog and the Hurt Eye, Maggie: Avoiding the Light, Maggie: Sister Love and the Body of Christ, Maggie: Forgiving and Forgetting, Maggie: Being Light, and The Grateful Heart: Predawn Stillness

The most read posts of the past week: (for the first time ever there's a tie) Maggie:Forgiving and Forgetting and Maggie: Being Light.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

Here's the link for The Road to Bethlehem: An Advent Prayer and Devotional Guide, available on Amazon for 99 cents e-book. Paperback $6.00 (Also available to send as an e-gift)
#thegratefulheart #Godhasaplan #disciple #JesusChrist