A Time to Dance
Café Menu for Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Today’s Special is: A Time to Laugh
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Andrea Hine
Main Ingredient:
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Ecclesiastes 3:4 ESV
Entrée:
I work for an accounting firm and April 15 is a day of celebration for us. This was actually my 25th tax season (that’s so hard to believe). It is a very stressful time of the year and as we get down to the wire, we are physically, mentally and emotionally spent.
On Saturday before the 15th, I received a very upsetting phone call (which for privacy reasons I can’t go into). I spent both Saturday and Sunday in tears, so much so that I stayed home and I didn’t even go to church because I couldn’t stop crying. A very sweet friend talked to me both days and tried to calm me down. She is the only reason I could get up Monday morning and go to work.
As soon as I got to work, I found out that I was going to have to do something I didn’t want to do. The person that was supposed to do it had been admitted into the hospital and so it was up to me to take her place. I serve on a “council” at work that is responsible for keeping our work environment uplifting and fun. We plan things to do during the year and we have little surprises for our co-workers.
Well… this thing I did not want to do… was to be done the next evening. I was heartbroken, upset and had NO CLUE how I was going to do this. But you know? God used this thing I did not want to do to bring me out of my pit of despair and into a room full of laughter. He changed my tears of sadness into tears of laughter.
As I drove home that April 15th night, God brought to my attention that I used to laugh a whole lot more. I had become way too serious about things that shouldn’t even matter to me. He also promised me that if I would stop being so focused on how others see me, that I would be a much happier person. He is El Roi, the God who sees me, and I only need to see myself through His eyes.
If you are wondering what I had to do that I didn’t want to do… I had to perform a dance with four of my co-workers in front of all our co-workers at our April 15th celebration. Let me tell you, the laughter that filled the room that night and the following days was healing medicine for my weary bones. Sometimes, it is just good for us to let go and be silly… regardless of how funny we may look, how old we are, or how “mature” we think we need to act.
Take Out:
Proverbs 17:22 says
“a cheerful heart is good medicine.”
Can you imagine that Christ, the Great Physician, would not have used such an effective medicine? Good humor and laughter are far too wonderful not to come straight from the heart of God. One of the surest characteristics of a healthy little one is cackling laughter and smiles. Christ dearly loves for us to come to Him as little children.” – Jesus, the One and Only by Beth Moore.
Dessert:
Heavenly Father, we often take life so seriously when we just need to let go and laugh. We need to stop being so focused on how others see us and just see ourselves through Your Eyes. We need to believe that we are precious in Your Sight. Will You give each one of us what we need to laugh more? We pray in Christ’s Name, Amen.
© 2014 by Andrea Hine. All rights reserved.
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