Learning To Laugh

Did you know that laughing burns calories? Let's burn a few.

What did the bee say to the sushi? What's up bee? (Wasabi)

Why was the energizer bunny arrested? He was charged with battery.

OK, enough of the cheesy jokes. I hope you at least laughed a little bit. I love to laugh and be around people who do. I wouldn't consider myself a funny person or someone who knows a lot of jokes as you can see, but I love having a great time. I think most people do and now that we know it burns calories I am sure many of us will try to laugh more often. I have an easy time laughing with friends or laughing during a funny movie but my first response to hardship isn't always to laugh. As a matter of fact, it's not even my second, third or even fourth response. I usually respond by getting upset or frustrated or even bitter. Laughing doesn't seem to make sense. 


It's just not that serious. 

My husband BJ is definitely the more outgoing, funny one out of the two of us. I am the serious, matter of fact girl that tends to take things way too seriously. When we are working on a project together I am all work and no play and when under pressure it's not easy for me to just "chillax" (combination from the words chill and relax) These past few months I have really noticed that laughing is so important, especially when faced with trials or situations that have not turned out the way we thought they would. We can't control what happens to us, but we can control our response. Most of our day to day things we face aren't life or death. They aren't going to matter a few days or even moments later, but somehow we have allowed them to become a big deal. When I gave you a sneak peek of this week's posts, God immediately gave me material to work with. In other words, He presented me with countless opportunities to respond with laughter. 


Laughter distracts us.


I've never been a fan of parents who laugh when their kids fall down in order to distract them from the pain they might be facing. But recently there have been a lot of falls, bumps and even bruises as the girls have been learning to walk. Just yesterday, Kennedi was doing her thing, and fell down. It wasn't a hard fall, but I could tell it scared her a little. She looked to me to see my reaction and instead of doing the, "oh baby, are you ok?" (in a sad tone) I just smiled and even laughed out loud a little. She sat there for a second and then laughed back. My laughter served as a distraction. A good sense of humor can get us through just about anything. I am not talking about laughing in the face of tragedy as some sort of way to avoid true feelings, but I am saying that when we choose to respond with laughter, it can serve us well. 

Laugh More. Live Longer. 

• Most laughs involve exhaling deeply and when you exhale, your blood pressure and heart rate decrease, and you then experience a calmness and sense of relief.
• You’ll be better able to bond with your spouse because those who laugh together to ease tension are much more likely to have better marriage.
• In a study reported in the International Journal of Medical Sciences, those of us who enjoy chuckling as much as 10 to 25 times a day experience fewer diseases than those who laugh less than that amount.
• A survey of close to 600 men shows that 73 percent believed that having a good sense of humor made them better on their jobs.

Believe Me.

Believe me when I say, I am still learning and will forever need to learn how to do this better. This past week it wasn't necessarily my first response to things, but it was my second. I think that counts for something, right? I can honestly say, that when I have chosen laughter, it has felt so good. Making the most of every situation is what it is all about. 








TRUTH: A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. Proverbs 17:22





DARE:  Laugh more often!