Try a Little Joy!

I kept hearing the early morning announcers on the local Christian radio station that I usually tune into first thing each morning, talking about how tired they were because of the recent daylight savings time change.  They were bemoaning the fact that the Monday after the weekend time adjustment is when the effects of the lost hour of sleep really hits.  By the end of their four hour show they were both sounding pretty tired and were not as joyful as they usually are.  Then when the next announcer started her shift, she immediately took over from where they had left off!

That got me thinking about the overall effects of JOY in and on one’s life…  I was raised by a mother who was almost always very outgoing, vivacious and upbeat.  She loved a good joke and a good laugh!  It was difficult for anyone to stay depressed or down in her presence.  My Dad was also an upbeat guy, but with a much more reserved personality.  He did though, LOVE to tell corny jokes!  I’m not sure what was funnier… his presentation of the joke or the predictability of its conclusion!  Either way, like the saying goes, “They were so bad that they were actually good!”

So, it was pretty inevitable that I would turn out with a mix of both of their personalities.  For some reason, I have always tended to be somewhat reserved in small groups but much more outgoing in front of a crowd of people… go figure!  But I must admit, that I have always loved to laugh, be joyful and make others around me happy as well.  Both Piper and I were like that.  They say that opposites attract, but Piper and I seemed to have MUCH more in common with each other than we did opposite!  I have mentioned repeatedly that it was her smile, spunky demeanor and joyful personality and attitude on life that drew me to her in the first place.  And those qualities never waned, even as the grips of Alzheimer’s encroached upon her.

Some of my best memories are the times when we just laughed together.  We both enjoyed making each other laugh.  She was always quicker on the comeback than I was, but after a few moments of thought, I could slip in another related funny that would keep us rolling in stitches.  The very last complete sentence that she spoke to me a couple of years ago was, “I love you!”  But it wasn’t spoken in serious sentimentality or with tears, but with a loving giggle that only she could do, with that very familiar Piper sparkle in her eyes and her trademark big affectionate smile, … that I came to call her “Jimmy smile.”  I can see it in many of the pictures that I took of her over the years.  It was a unique smile with a certain little twitch that she only did for me.

Heck… when I asked her to marry me, her first reaction was to start laughing!  What can I say?  It’s just who she was… and I loved every second of it!  We both tended to use humor as a means to cool down a heated situation or to accentuate a particular point in a conversation.  Over the years I’ve had many members of the congregations that I was fortunate enough to preach to, tell me that they enjoyed my use of humor in my sermon.   They felt it helped to make the Word that I was sharing more practical for their lives.

Proverbs 17: 22 tells us that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” (KJV)  Having a merry, joyful or cheerful heart as other translations put it, was a characteristic that Piper and I actively sought to perpetuate into our lives.  I’ll tend to find something joyful or funny about almost anything I find myself doing during the day.  As my dog and I were walking back from the neighborhood playground this morning, he suddenly stopped to take care of his business.  So, without a second thought I reached into my pocket to take out one of the doggie bags I always carry and suddenly found myself singing a song about what I was about to do! 

I had to laugh right out there next to the golf course because it reminded me of a song that I wrote for our kids when they were younger and had to fulfill the family job of doing the “Poop Patrol” in our backyard after our little sheltie had been out.  At first, they weren’t very pleased about the job so I made up a marching song that started with the words, “♪ We are the members of the Poop Patrol…♫” and they would march around the yard with their shovel while clearing the yard of certain obstructions.  The funniest part of it was a few yeas later when I used the same tune (with different words of course) as the theme song for the first original Vacation Bible School that I wrote.  We never shared the original words with anyone, but we sure laughed every time the whole group of kids sang the song during the successful weeklong VBS!

Piper and I came to learn… and I continue to understand… the power of a merry or joyful heart.  I can attest to the fact that it can keep you physically healthy, upbeat and clear thinking when the chips are down.  I can’t tell you how many times the folks from the wonderful hospice group who helped with Piper’s care commented about how they actually enjoyed coming to our home due to our faith and joy.  

I don’t think I could keep going without her since her homegoing, without the constant flow of His joy filling my heart, soothing my emotions and keeping me on track.  For me it has become a lifestyle.  At this point I don’t know any other way… and I am not about to start something new when His joy has been my strength (Nehemiah 8:10) my prescription for a healthy life (Proverbs 17:22) and my stress and care remover that is my direct path to peace (Philippians 4:4-7). 

What can I say…? There’s nothing better than a good, relaxing laugh!

Have a great week ahead… and if times get a little hectic, then try a little taste of His joy and watch your expectations change for the positive!