Laughter's Power

I got to thinking today after a co-worker commented on how a couple of our kids have mistaken my laughter as flirting... with other teens (haha.. yeah no). Much to my delight my co-worker (who is a girl) pointed out I act and laugh exactly the same around her, and the other teen girls, and our 60-something married couple we work with... So, clearly unless I am flirting with ALL of them I must not be flirting at all.. but simply finding joy in them.

So, mixing that very amusing story with the incredibly painful last couple weeks God and I have had, I got to thinking about the fact that even though I'm going through these things with God and it hurts.. I'm still joyful, and my laughter is still genuine. In fact, I'm laughing more, and I'm truly content.. (can you be joyful, hurting, and content at the same time?!) I began thinking about the things that change my feelings.. laughter is the biggest one. I can be in a terrible mood, lazy mood, depressed, sad, whatever I'm feeling laughter can change that... When I'm hurting laughter feels like it helps to heal it a little bit.. and at the very least it helps it to be a little more numb and less of the hurt itself.

I found this, and it makes sense.. "Research has shown health benefits of laughter ranging from strengthening the immune system to reducing food cravings to increasing one's threshold for pain. There's even an emerging therapeutic field known as humor therapy to help people heal more quickly, among other things. Humor also has several important stress relieving benefits."

I like the fact that my name means Joyful Little Christian... and I like the fact that it's true. Even when I'm hurting laughter can make a difference inside where there isn't much that can touch the inside.

As my lovely friend says "Laughter is inner jogging" ;)