Believe me, it's not any way at all to live!

Today is Friday, April 16, 2010 and it is a good day to give thanks unto the Lord. It's a slow day here for news and I'm left to follow the instructions on the frozen orange juice container: Concentrate. You're saying that isn't a suggestion, it has to do with the form of the juice. Wow! You learn something new every day. Okay. Just kidding on that one but life is often filled with riddles and conundrums. We are left to ponder things like why does glue not stick to the inside of the bottle? or Can a fat person go skinny dipping? or Why is the word abbreviation so long? or If a book about failures does not sell, is it considered to be a success? and finally a real dilly: We can calculate the speed of light but why don't we know the speed of dark? So many questions that spin around with the answers ever illusive. We learn over time to never argue with an idiot because doing so always brings you down to their level and then they beat you to a pulp because of their experience. Life is tough, don't you think? But what would it be without a smile now and then? I've known a few folks who tried to go without much smiling but believe me, it's not any way at all to live.

I happen to like funny stories and jokes. One I like talks about the dog that went into the telegraph office and asked to send a message. He gave this message to the operator: "Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof." The operator told him he could add another 'woof' for the same price but the dog responded: "Why would I want to do that, it would no longer make any sense." You may not have thought that to be very funny. It struck me as being funny but that's okay because you may have one that I might not find to be funny either. The problem comes when we can't find anything to laugh about and believe me, it's not any way at all to live. The fifteen year old had this to say about life: "My mom told me that I should live each day as if it is my last. That's why I never do my laundry because who wants to be doing laundry on the last day of their life?" Life is serious and there are times when there's little to laugh about, however, we should never wear a frown as a permanent fixture. Joy is contagious and you and I should be carriers.

"Smile and the world smiles with you, cry and you will eventually have to blow your nose." If we are normal we will have plenty of doing both as we make our way through this life. I feel sorry for any of us who cannot think of one or more times when we knew that a situation or happening in our family could have qualified for America's Funniest Home Video. One that always gets a huge laugh for our youngest son is the one he tells about me and the Moon Pie. My wife had me on a diet. I slipped outside one day with a chocolate cream pie hidden in my pocket for a little R & R. When I heard Rodney coming around the side of the house I stuffed the entire pie into my mouth. He claims by the time he got to me I was not only choking but also spraying Moon Pie particles all over the place. His telling of it is greatly exaggerated but I cannot deny the basic facts. He has told that story many times but we all still share a good laugh because it was a funny thing that happened and he tells it so well. One of the things I love about my wife is the laughing we do together. Sure, we have our share of stuff to be solemn about but our time together is just too funny not to laugh as we go on down the road hand in hand. Perhaps your smile maker has been put away for too long and it's time for you to get it working again. My recommendation is to use it and use it often because without it working, believe me, it's not any way at all to live! Have a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday and I'll see you next time, Lord willing! Amen. .....More later.