“I love people who make me laugh.
I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh.
It cures a multitude of ills.
It’s probably the most important thing in a person.”
Audrey Hepburn
(A closeup shot of Pere(Father) Jacques Marquette, a 17th-century Jesuit missionary and explorer of New France, along with his visiting gull pal, whose statue graces the central green on Mackinac Island, MI / Julie Cook / 2017)
Sometimes I feel like one of those poor city statues…you know the ones…
those once well thought of monuments to those once notable figures
which are now more of less forgotten to time and are relegated to being a
resting spot for both weary tourists and disprespectful birds.
Now whereas Fr Marquette’s statue is looking rather regal and very clean,
not yet having been “desecrated” on this particular day with the random and
less than nobel telltale signatures left by resting birds—
I just can’t help but feel that my life lately is that of such a statue…
I feel as if I’ve become just another old forgotten statue that currently
has an entire flock of birds resting on my head,
just waiting for the moment when the commanding bird gives the signal for the
troops to simultaneously do what it is they do…
all the while, being simply left to their mercy.
And then it would be just like God, or so I would imagine,
who’d be the first one to laugh.
Yet what a joyful laugh it would be….
For you see I tend to take life seriously….
a little too seriously…
I tend to think things are a big deal.
I allow myself to get all worked up and bent out of shape when my
seemingly grandiose, well thought out,
detailed plans get all skewed as I watch everything I’ll have worked so hard over
collide head-on with the proverbial Murphy of Murphy’s law.
I can come unglued and unraveled as I sit in the midst of the debris…
sadly picking up the pieces, while crying over my life’s spilled milk….
As I furiously and frustratingly try to figure out the lessons
I’m to find in the current spate of misfortune, error, accident and
simple run of bad luck that has all come my way.
For you see I believe things in this life are never random—
everything has a purpose and a plan.
God has a plan in not only the good events of life…
but more importantly and most especially, His plans are even found in the
bad events…
And being the ever impatient one, I try to quickly figure it all out so the
current run of misery will not seem to be all for naught….
And then He laughs because He knows it’s really a matter of His timing
and not mine.
I have a post to write—a little self deprecating post but one filled with lots
of humor.
All because I was much like someone sitting in the middle of one of those
Chevy Chase family vacation movies last week during the little trip my husband
and I had taken—
if it was to go wrong,
it would…
and boy… did it ever…
over and over and over.
First there were the tears of utter frustration as I saw our precious “away”
time being bombarded by misfortune…
with my poor husband trying to offer comfort.
The smart man knew it was best that he keep his temper and composure over
our relentless misfortune and misadventure as I was likely to come totally
unglued…
And not knowing if anyone could survive a total meltdown by his now
distraught wife—heck I didn’t know if I could survive such a self implosion
as I’ve never had a total crumbling….
he managed to keep his cool–something he’s usually not good at doing.
However by week’s end, it all became almost comical…
the kind of stuff one looks back on when fondly remembering some of life’s
greater adventures.
Yet when we got back home, trying to put things back into the play of routine,
there came word of something else–something, when compared to all that we’d
just been through, went totally over the top.
For this latest “event” has now put the icing on the cake…
which in turn is giving me grand pause to sit back and see that God has
indeed had the final teaching moment…
And it all is culminating with God delightfully laughing…
Laughing a grand ol belly laugh full of love and full of hope and full of joy…
and soon, when life slows down, at least just a tad,
and I find myself caught back up with things here…
I’ll share my tale…
One in which we will all be able to commiserate together and then joyously laugh
triumphantly…
Sarah then said,
“God has given me cause to laugh,
and all who hear of it will laugh with me.
Genesis 21:6
Sorry your time away did not go smoothly and according to your plan. I do like the photo you have under “Who I am”. Looking forward to reading about your adventure!
I’ve always considered myself the one who “takes one for the team”….a sort of learning what not to do from the misadventures of what I’ve done—a real teachable moment as we use to call it in the classroom—-and looking back it is now all pretty funny–it’s just that at the time I tend to see it all as monumental—which in the big scheme of life—it’s not—so another example of me needing to gather perspective 🙂
and I in turn share so others my learn the easy way vs my harder way 🙂
It’s easier to put things into perspective when we can step back later and reflect. The women with whom I spend time at some retreats help me to put my life into perspective because they have been through so very much in their lives. I was helping at such a retreat this past weekend and I’m humbled and inspired by the courage of these women. I’m especially humbled that they allow me to be part of their lives. Teaching moments, for sure!
I can’t wait to hear your story. I remember family vacations like the Chevy Chase one you referenced. Everything that could happen did, but now we look back on those adventures with lots of laughter. Sometimes, there’s no place like home.
just as long as dead grandma isn’t strapped to the top of the car 🙂
The joy of a road trip.
What about the dog!?
Ooooh he kept up for a little while …
That he did 🐕🤣
Yep, I can’t wait either for the rest of the story. As a side now…wow to Audrey Hepburn.Nuff said
Sounds like my neighbors disastrous trip to Disney Land.
So many comical/awful things happened, they never actually got to the park.
She said “we are happy that we were able to cope”
I’m sure your tale has a positive wrap up too.
Now that would be disastrous!
Waiting with bated breath, especially as we prepare to head back home to Northern Michigan on our vacation this year.
Don’t fly delta
We’re driving from Californa and then heading down to Florida to see our youngest daughter.
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
thank you little fire cracker !!
You’re very welcome Cookie 😍
I love the way you bounce! No matter what happens you always bounce back better and stronger than before! And you make me laugh and cry and think and love you more every day. I just adore the way your cookie crumbles! Alway have and always will. Love your new pic too!!! 🙂 ❤
wait until the post for today and tomorrow—a tale spanning two days as I had to break it up in vol. 1 and vol. 2—you’ll really appreciate it 🙂 just make certain to read Thursday’s vol 2 at that is the culmination with an unforeseen ending 🙂
Can’t wait to read them!😊❤️🐔🌵
😊❤️🐔🌵
Good stuff j, but here’s a question:
If laughter is the best medicine………………..
……………….then why don’t we live forever…………….? lol
Cause God laughs louder and better—so He’s got the longevity—but He does offer that longevity to us as well….as you just might know….. 😉
The picture is great!