Learning to laugh – even at the ridiculous

Maybe it was my distressed face or somehow she could see the storm that simmering under the surface that prompted Nancy to ask me how my day had been.

Over five years ago, We had just moved into a new community and my husband, Pastor John,(or PJ as he is fondly called in our community now) had started to pastor at a new church. We had just arrived at a New Years Eve Party in a near by community health center with two small children in tow and a vegetable tray. Severely on the verge of being more than fashionably late. Two hours earlier, my husband and I were in the kitchen, he was trying to get last minute church stuff done and I was trying to manage the veggie tray and to dress my three year old daughter and one year old son. I got Anna dressed in her cute little outfit which she decided she hated. ( She was going through that change your clothes twenty times a day stage) I told her "tough luck cookie, go put your shoes on." So off she went little brother tagging behind. After a few bickering words exchanged between husband and wife, something to do about time and needing a little help, I head towards the stairs to make sure that coats and shoes were on. Yes, even pastors and their wives have their moments.

What should meet me at the bottom of the stairs but toothpaste. A lot of tooth paste! Starting at the bottom I followed a steady stream of it all the way upstairs and in to our bathroom. There laying on the floor was an empty tube of toothpaste and my newly dressed son flashing me a bedazzling smile of several shades of lipstick, blush, and mascara. My wide open cosmetic bag in one hand and a tube of lipstick in the other. It was Beautiful! Already frustrated and angry I look into my daughters bedroom across the hall. Here sat my daughter stark naked on her bed with a pair of scissors. She was cutting dozens of little holes in her brand new bedspread.

I don’t know why I went that night. I went with steam pouring out my ears! I think it was Nancy’s kind face that made me blurt out my tale of frustration, anger, and woe. To my total surprise, my now dear friend started laughing about halfway through my sad tale. “Did You take a picture," she asked. My brain was saying “what are you talking about?”. Not quite understanding her question I proceed to tell the rest of the story with even more zeal. By the time I was finished she was laughing even harder and she said to me ” You have to write it down, That is so cute.”

HUH!! CUTE? FUNNY? I totally understand what she means now. FIVE YEARS LATER! Time goes by quickly, we have had even more moments, like bracelet's flushed down the toilet, but that’s another story. Cherish the good with the bad. I’m learning to laugh even at the ridiculous and absurd. After all that’s what gives us history. And pictures make awsome scrapbook stories.

NIB James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,