Welcome to Spiritual Journey First Thursday,
a group of friends who blog monthly about our spiritual journeys.
Jan gave us plenty of advance notice about our topic for this month, humor. I've enjoyed looking at Biblical injunctions to have a merry heart, mostly because I don't think of myself as a humorous person, but I do see myself as someone who has a merry heart.
" A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance..."
-Proverbs 15:13
"... he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."
-Proverbs 15:15
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine..."
-Proverbs 17:22
And a few quotes from a book I just picked up today at the library, (Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor by Rev. Susan Sparks):
"Laughter is God's soothing touch on a fevered world."
-Kenneth Hildebrand
"Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon."
-Winnie The Pooh
"Laughter is carbonated holiness."
-Anne Lamott
"Humor is not a trick, not jokes. Humor is a presence in the world, like grace, and shines on everyone."
-Garrison Keillor
What makes my heart merry?
The laughter of children, family stories, the changing of the seasons, libraries, comics, bookstores, cookies, dear friends, and hot chocolate to name a few.
As he headed to bed my dad used to say, "Goodnight! See you in the funny papers, on the animal side."
Like him, I love comics. Here are some favorites I've clipped in the past.
Humor is a valuable tool for dealing with life's challenges. When you face trials and frustrations and conflicts that are an inevitable part of life's journey, remember to pick up the comics section of the newspaper. It's a guaranteed way to a merry heart for me. And if you no longer subscribe to a newspaper, buy a 2019 calendar with a tear-off comic for every day of the year.
I love your dad's bedtime quote. :) And you are certainly merry and cheerful and a ray of sunshine straight to the heart. Thank you! xo
ReplyDeleteRamona, I used a Bible quote focusing on the word merry also. I will store your quotes that are additional ones other than the ones I found. Humor is needed in my life this weekend. What started as a celebration of my uncle's 90th turned out into a stress-filled weekend after my uncle fell face first on my sister's front steps. Please add a prayer or two for my Uncle John and our family. We find out more tomorrow about the broken neck bone and hand bone.
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