The Gift of Laughter

I laugh easily.  Sometimes, I laugh a tad bit too loudly.  I have learned not to be self conscious about my laughter because laughter is one of God's precious gifts.  

A couple of days ago I wrote a post about some brain research that I have been doing, and I mentioned how when the brain senses a threat to our physical or social well-being the amygdala releases electro-chemicals that produce an instantaneous sense of dread and a readiness to act and defend/protect ourselves.  This is a good thing... except when it isn't.  We've all been there.  Something bad ALMOST happens, then it doesn't yet we can't shake that heavy feeling of foreboding for a long time afterward even though the threat is gone.  We want to! Logically we know there is nothing wrong, but it takes awhile for those electro-chemicals to dissipate.  For me this happens whenever there is a close call on the road.  When an accident ALMOST happens, but doesn't.  It seems to take ages before I can feel light-hearted and relaxed again.

Guess what brain research has shown us?  Laughter is the thing that can restore balance in the brain faster than anything else!  Its almost like your brain hears you laughing and goes, "Hmmm, I guess this isn't the end of the world. If she can laugh about it, or during it, there must be hope!  Guess I'll settle down."  

The Bible alluded to this long before any MRI or CT Scan or EKG of brain activity appeared on the scene.  Check it out:
Proverbs 17:22 ESV "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

In Pastor Rick Warren's article, "Learn to Laugh" in the Christian Post he says this: "Humor is an amazing thing. It’s a tension dissolver. It’s an antidote to anxiety. It’s just like a tranquilizer, but without any troublesome side effects. And it’s free! You don’t even need a prescription.  Laughter is life’s shock absorber. If you want to have less stress in your life, learn to laugh at your circumstances. Somehow, you must find the fun in the frustrating."  So true!  The other day a friend texted me a picture of a bottle of RID and the bad news that lice had made an appearance in her family.  Ugh.  By God's grace, after commiserating with her misfortune, I immediately texted back something like this: "You can do this!  Secret prize is in store for whoever in your family comes up with the funniest lice or nit joke.  Go!"  Our families, separated by more than half the country, spent the next several minutes texting made up jokes back and forth and giggling. My favorite was, "Why did the lice cross the road?  To get to the hairier side."  Hardee-har-har.  

What a gift we have in laughter, let's not neglect to open up and use that gift often and well, avoiding finding humor in the crude or crass, yet fully appreciating the whimsical, silly, ironic, delightful things that God brings to mind and helping others to do the same.  

Need a little help getting the giggles started, try these:

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