Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” Psalm 126:2
I should’ve been more aware of the signs. I should’ve been able to predict that certain behaviors were coming down the road. When I look back now, the past actions of my boys pointed directly to our current state of affairs.
When my boys were little and we’d take them to the zoo, there was a rope bridge. Do you know the kind I’m talking about? The kind that is pretty high up yet is perfectly acceptable to bounce a fully-grown adult around without anyone thinking that just wasn’t right. My little angels would wait for their mother to be smack-dab in the middle, then they’d turn on the same woman who gave them life, who fed them, and who took care of them. I’d tell them they better stop it immediately, but that just made them giggle more!
Let’s flash-forward to present time when my boys are much older, wiser, and more mature. I took them to my grandma’s house last week. My oldest, who is bigger than me now, decides ringing the doorbell just once wasn’t enough. His finger was hovering over that doorbell while he looked at me and grinned. Just like back on the bridge I told him that he better not dare do it. He kept grinning as he rang it again! I think he even got a third one in before Grandma came laughing to the door.
Now that I told you about my oldest, let me tell you about my youngest. He found that Grandma’s carpet is perfect for static electricity. He’ll drag his feet all over that house and shock his brother every chance he gets!
These are the same angels that will go other places and not move. Why do you think that is? Could it be that my grandma has carried on with those two boys ever since they were little? Maybe it was her jumping on a sled and sliding down a big hill as I’m yelling at my hubby to get to the bottom as fast as he could! Maybe it was her getting out her good dining room table leaf and using furniture polish to make sure it was nice and slippery so they could use it as a slide. It might even be the fact that she’s willing to hop on the Tilt-a-Whirl at amusement parks with them.
I will say most of the time the boys know the difference of harmless fun and when I mean business. The counting to three always is serious stuff. The other day my father heard me begin the counting to these little angels of mine. He busted up laughing…thanks for the support Dad! He asked them what happens when I get to three. My oldest very wisely said that he never wanted to find out!
I believe that God wants us to have fun and laugh. It’s good for our health! Don’t you think it might be what keeps my boys from believing their great-grandma’s real age? There’s times to be serious…hey, if I ever hear God counting to three, you better believe I’m going to quit what I’m doing immediately. If we listen close enough though, He’ll let us know when enough is enough without having to get to that point.
Our humor can show the great things God has done for us. It shows others our joy!
