I am enjoying a nice relaxing day off from school with the kids. It snowed a little bit, actually it tried, but didn't succeed much and is already gone.
We are entertaining ourselves by watching America's Funniest Home Vidoes. Some of them are really funny, but I have found that the one's where people get hurt are not funny to me. We may giggle nervously, but mostly just groan or wince. My favorites are animals doing silly things and little kids.
I believe a sense of humor is very important and often vital to getting through life with any kind of sanity. And laughter has lots of health benefits. I agreed when someone said we need to learn to laugh at ourselves because we are the funniest things out there and we will never run out of things to laugh at then, too. I know there are situations that do not appear funny at the moment, but you can laugh about them later. (There was a snowmobile trip that resembles that remark and a sledgehammer incident as well. Fortunately, no one was permanently injured.) I also love a good practical joke and my Dad's family has a whole catalog of stories. My personal best was stitching all my boyfriend's clothes together while he was visiting at my parent's house. He was still finding things 6 months later, but it must not have been too traumatic, because we have been married over 19 years now. My favorite story of his was when he moved a guy's car around campus and had him convinced it was the football team doing it.
But how often do we laugh and allow ourselves to be entertained at others expense. I have had more than one coversation with my kids about you can tease and joke around with someone, but when they are not laughing it isn't funny to them and it has crossed the line. I have a very sarcastic tongue at times and have to be very careful that my teasing or joking doesn't cut too deep.
Our words have far more power than we could ever imagine. They say "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me". They obviously have never had anything cruel or mean said to them. My son has had several broken bones and they healed after a few weeks in a cast. I, however, still have wounds on my heart from things that were said to me several years ago. There are insecurities that I deal with where a seemingly harmless remark can cut deep.
As Christians, we are called to build each other up. So be careful what you say and do. Enjoy life and laugh with your family and friends often. Just make sure you are making a memory and not picking a scab.
And if you happen to have the video camera available when your husband is hanging out of the kitchen cabinet, trying to rescue a trapped hamster underneath with a reciprocating saw, go for it. I still think we could have won something if I had gotten the camcorder out and working that night!
