Archives at Zinester: Laughter. Off-the-church-walls. Humor & Jokes

Subject: Laughter - January11, 2006

LAUGH YOURSELF HEALTHY

Occasionally, the mail carrier deposits an anonymous protest of the preacher's indulging in humor from the pulpit. There have always been those sincere folks who maintain that religion is too serious for light, jovial remarks in a sermon. They apparently agree, with Oliver Wendell Holmes: "If a man has nothing better than humor, he might better have been a monkey."

Certainly a clown has no place in the ministry. Yet who needs to be reminded that monkeys do not laugh - only humans do. One wonders how many men have been deterred from full-time ministry because of the somber or even sour faces of those already in. Even today, there are enough pompous, painfully proud preachers to give credence to the old story about the stranger approaching a deacon at the church door.

"I beg your pardon," the visitor began. "Are you the minister?"
"No. I've had the flu." Replied the deacon.

Lack of a sense of humor in a Christian, whether in the pulpit or pew, can signal that a person is taking himself too seriously instead of treating faith seriously. Wherever "life is no laughing matter," look for a person who probably needs to let go and let God take over. A gloomy, long-faced Christian is a contradiction in terms.

The "Preacher" in Ecclesiastes reminds us, "to everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.. a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance."

Ecclesiastes 3:14 The apostle Paul confined to his prison cell but standing on the bright side of the cross, suggests a better timetable: "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice" Philippians 4:4 Uncertainty about ourselves or our God washes out the laughter that gives sparkle to life.
We joke only about that of which we are sure. Granted, there is no record of Jesus laughing, but some of his stories indicate a strong sense of humor. More than that, because he lifted the fog of uncertainty about life here and hereafter, he made it possible for us to laugh right up to the end.
No wonder the wise man in Proverbs said, "A cheerful heart is good medicine." Proverbs 17:22

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Laughter is like changing a baby's diaper. It doesn't permanently solve any problems, but it makes thing more acceptable for awhile. -
Barbara Johnson

After the revival had concluded, the three preachers were discussing the results with one another.

The Methodist minister said, "The revival worked out great for us! We gained three new families."

The Baptist preacher said, "We did better than that! We gained six new families."

The Presbyterian pastor said, "Well, we did even better than that! We got rid of our nine biggest trouble makers!"

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ABC's OF AGING

A is for arthritis,
B is for bad back,
C is for the chest pains. Corned beef? Cardiac?
D is for dental decay and decline,
E is for eyesight--can't read that top line.
F is for fissures and fluid retention
G is for gas (which I'd rather not mention and not to forget other gastrointestinal glitches)
H is high blood pressure
I is for itches, and lots of incisions
J is for joints, that now fail to flex
L is for libido--what happened to that?     Wait! I forgot about K!
K is for my knees that crack all the time     (But forgive me, I get a few lapses in my
M - memory from time to time)
N is for nerve (pinched) and neck (stiff) and neurosis
O is for osteo-for all the bones that crack
P is for prescriptions, which cost a small fortune
Q is for queasiness. Fatal or just the flu?     Give me another pill and I'll be good as new!
R is for reflux--one meal turns into two
S is for sleepless nights, counting my fears on how to pay my increasing medical bills!
T is for tinnitus--I hear bells in my ears and the word "terminal" also rings too near
U is for urinary and the difficulties that flow (or not)
V is for vertigo, as life spins by
W is worry, for pains yet found
X is for X ray--and what one might find
Y is for year (another one I'm still alive) so
Z is for zest