Lord, give me Laughter

Moments of laughter can transport us into a different reality for a few minutes allowing us to rise up anew and refreshed to face the future.  - Unknown



God, help me hang on to my sense of humor!

I have 2 angelversaries in the Autumn.  My mom's was September 28th and my dad's is tomorrow, November 3rd. 

I won't lie, even though it's been 24 years tomorrow since my dad's passing, I still miss him every single day in so many ways.

Being told along with my diagnosis of T2D that I should not try to have children was also a loss in my life.  It's funny how people don't seem to see it that way.  It's the loss of a dream for us.    

Today I want to focus on the best gift God gives us as survivors of loss... the gift of laughter!  Laughter has healing qualities that no medicine does.  It heals without any side effects (except perhaps tears from laughing too hard).  It's free and the refills are limitless!  We can use it as much as necessary, and with the wonderful invention called the Internet, we can just go to You Tube and find humorous stuff all over the place!  

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It's jolted by every pebble on the road.  - Henry Ward Beecher

We don't all agree on what is funny and what is not, but that's okay.  There are all types of humor - and plenty to go around.  I happen to like stupid humor.  The more dumb, the more funny I think it is!  I enjoy watching Christian comedians. 

Sometimes when the reality of life seems to be closing in on you, think about what you can do to fight back.  Don't just let the depressions of life get ahold of you.  Today it began to get to me and I just grabbed a light jacket, got my cane out of the closet and took a little walk down the street and back.  It's amazing how much good that little bit of exercise did.  I laughed at the ducks playing around in the lake.  By the time I got home, the feeling of gloom had passed and I was in a better place mentally.  Wellness is really a matter of listening to your body and knowing how to properly respond to its needs.

A sense of humor is a major defense against minor troubles. 
- Mignon McLaughlin

I have fought taking one more pill for anything.  I know I need to take my medication for diabetes, thyroid and blood pressure - but anything on top of that I really am going to fight tooth and nail!  It's my hope that proper diet and exercise will help me keep any sort of cholesterol medications or additional medications at bay.  I sure don't want to be on an anti-depressant.  Um... no.  

I pray every day that God will show me something to laugh about.  I believe the day I lose my sense of humor is the day I will fold - cave - fall.  I keep asking myself, "What would mom and dad want me to do?"  The answer is never "fold, cave or fall."  The answer is always, "live and be happy."

A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.
- Hugh Sidey

Life without them is difficult, I won't lie.  It's not better by any means, but it's not worse either.  It is just different.  There are empty places in our home - especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Holidays are the pits without family!  But we've learned to adapt new traditions - and we've had some nice Holidays since we lost our parents.  I do not have the option to rewind - so I must make the choice to push play - and keep living!  I have to make that choice on purpose, every day!

It's quite difficult to grow up with two stable influences in your life and then become an adult and have them taken away and be left virtually alone in the world.  I was 28 when daddy died and 43 when mama died, but you're never ready for it.  When that rug gets pulled out from under you, you're just never quite prepared for it. 

Loneliness is overwhelming at times.  I still find myself wanting to pick up the telephone and call my mama to tell her something - it's never anything important - but it never was.  It used to be some little thing would happen and I'd run to the phone to call my mom - it's just how we rolled.

Thank You, LORD, for this life You've graciously given me.  Help me live it with joy and peace and happiness - and an abundance of laughter! 

There are times when I go a bit overboard with the humor, but it's my hope that when I do that, people will show a bit of compassion and understand that I'm just making an effort to be happy in the circumstance I find myself in.  If people do get defensive and begin to be unappreciative of my humor I just excuse myself and move on.  I will not stick around where I feel unwanted.  Life is too short to stay around mean people.  Mean people suck.

When I speak of serious subject matter on this blog, then I hope you will take me seriously.  I mean what I say about diet, exercise, water and a good attitude when dealing with diabetes.  Just keep in mind that I always want to choose hope and I always want to choose laughter.  May my humor always be taken for what it is - with a grain of salt.  I implore you to please take my humor with a very tiny grain of salt!  Thank you! 
 
Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.  - William James

Here's just a little snippet of my favorite comedic genius, Chonda Pierce!

http://youtu.be/wjcfdnqSvT0




 
Today is NATIONAL DEVILED EGG DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's time to celebrate with your favorite recipe!  Just because you're eating deviled eggs, that does not give you permission to misbehave!  
I know - I'm no fun!  Oh well.