Sunday, October 29, 2006

It's kind of cool to have a pastor who laughs with me, not at me

Or at least I think he laughs with me. Perhaps not. Oh well...either way...

It occured to me tonight that I had forgotten how much fun life could be. For so long, I took life so seriously. I had to write the perfect papers. I had to have everyone show up on time or whatever it is would be a failure. I had to have the perfect even number of things (can you say OCD) or I'd get all flustered. I had to jump at the right time, raise my hands appropriately, and of course laugh at the perfect time during the sermon's "funny" moment because, after all, my laugh is known internationally.

Then today, I found myself in a sermon illustration. And I mean literally. I was a sentry for Paul. Cindy leaned over to me and said, "This must have been the most boring job. Ever." And, I found myself, in front of the church, at a very serious part of the sermon, with a case of the giggles. Then, when I found out that the guards were killed because an angel helped Paul escape, all I could think was, "Man, that job sucked!" And again, I found myself giggling. Then, at the park this afternoon, there was a kid who took more than his single allotment of cookies. I found myself saying, before I could stop, "I can take him. Let me get those cookies back!" Again, with the laughter already! I cannot recall an afternoon in which I laughed so heartily for a very long time, if ever.

The Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. I've said those words over and over and over again. Somehow, part of me must have thought that meant being somber and serious. Suddenly (there's that word again) I find myself in a place where laughing is the norm, not the oddity, and I find that my relationship with God is stronger than it has been in a really long time, if ever. So, the conclusion that I have drawn is that it is really cool to have a pastor who laughs with me, not at me.

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