Have you ever laughed so hard that snot came out of your nose? You know, the times you can’t hardly even breath and tears are streaming down your cheeks? Well, it turns out that laughter is good for you. Recent research shows that laughter can:
increase your blood circulation
lower your risk for heart attack
boost your immune system
lower your blood sugar
promote more restful sleep
lessen the effects of pain
improve your outlook on life
increase your deep breathing, which relaxes your muscles
give you more energy
and lower your stress levels
Now . . . some scientists might disagree on some of the health benefits of laughter by discussing whether it is actually the laughter itself or the underlying condition of the person who laughs. For example, the more friends a person has, the more likely they are to laugh. Or, if a person has a more positive outlook on life they are more likely to be healthy anyway.
Silly scientists . . . don’t they get
what everyone else obviously understands?
Ask any healthy person: “Would you rather be laughing, or crying?” Scientists do agree that laughter is healthy . . . they just don’t always know why.
It turns out that Solomon knew this and he was also very much ahead of his time scientifically because he wrote this about 3,000 years ago:
A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22
So, laugh dear friends. Let the “joy of the Lord” be your strength. Rejoice that:
your sins are forgiven
you’ve been set free
you have life in Him
He is your provider
He is your healer
He is your victory
He is your protector
He dances over you with singing
His Word will sustain you
His Spirit will guide you, teach you,
He has defeated sin and death
you can be with Him forever
We have much to be joyful about! My friend Tony Rainbow says that “many believers need to go out to Walmart and buy a bigger pair of underwear!” (Now, that’s funny! I don’t care who y’are.) We, of all people, never need to walk around with sour expressions. Our hearts need to tell our faces that we are blessed beyond measure!
“It’s OK to be happy!”
Happy are the people whose God is the LORD! Psalm 144:15
Here’s a suggestion. Look in the mirror each morning and say this boldly to yourself:
“Ha! Ha! Ha! I laugh at danger!”
Get the picture? Come on . . . you can laugh . . . really.
Love you guys . . . keep smiling, keep laughing, let the love of Jesus shine brightly in and through you.
Steve :)
P.S. For those of you who like a funny story, I though I’d include one of my dad’s all-time favorites:
Do you have a B.C.?
A rather old-fashioned lady was always quite delicate and elegant, especially in her language. She and her husband were planning a week’s vacation in Florida, so she wrote to a particular campground and asked for a reservation. She wanted to make sure the campground was fully equipped but didn’t quite know how to ask about the toilet facilities. Being such a genteel woman, she couldn’t bring herself to put the word “toilet” in her letter. After much deliberation, she settled on the phrase, “bathroom commode.” But even that sounded a little too forward for her sense of refinement, so she ultimately shortened it to “B.C.” What she wrote is, “Does your campground have a B.C.?”
Well, the campground owner was stumped by this abbreviation. After much consultation with other campers and his family, he concluded that she must be asking about the “Baptist Church.” He understood the letter to say, “Does your campground have a Baptist Church?” Here is his reply to the woman:
Dear Madam, I am happy to report that a B.C. is located only 9 miles from the campground and is capable of seating 250 at one time. I admit that it is quite a distance away, especially if you are in the habit of going regularly. But no doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number of people take their lunches and make a day of it. They usually arrive early and stay late. The last time my wife and I went it was so crowded we had to stand up the whole time we were there. It may interest you to know that right now, there is a supper planned to raise money to buy more seats. It will be held in the basement of the B.C. It does pain us very much not to be able to go more regularly, but it surely is no lack of desire on our part. As we grow older, it seems to be more of an effort, particularly in cold weather. If you do decide to come down to our campground, perhaps we could go with you the first time you go, sit with you, and introduce you to all the other folks. Remember, this is a friendly community.