I STOPPED READING THE FUNNIES!

I'm really not sure why I stopped reading the funnies. I just did. It could've been time........disinterest.........with the political and world situation everything seemed so serious....it didn't seem advantage to me.

Isn't it amazing how when we really "need to laugh" we avoid it. Today while looking at my Sunday Paper I decided to pick up the funnies and laugh at one of them. Some were cute but no laughter came. The cartoon, "Pickles" made me grin because I related to him trying to fold an all elastic sided sheet. He handed it to his wife in a wadded up ball. My sheets look just like his. It is frustration to try to fold one of those neatly. His was a mess and so are mine..........but I didn't laugh.

Life has a way of sometimes removing our smiles and our laughter......that is if we let it and that seems to be what I've done. I've allowed life to get to me.

In the book of Proverbs (15:13) it says: "A merry heart does good like a medicine."

But I forgot to read and ponder this one: Proverbs 4: 23, "Above all else guard your heart." or this one: Proverbs 13:12, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick.."

I should pay more attention to Proverbs. After all, one of its main authors was King David's son, Solomon, whom God called "the wisest man who ever lived."

In the Life Application Study Bible it says in the forward: "Proverbs gives us advice for developing our personal relationships with friends, family members, and coworkers. In every relationship, we must show love, dedication, and high moral standards."

"To relate to people, we need consistency, tact, and discipline to use the wisdom God gives us. If we don't treat others according to the wisdom God gives, our relationships will suffer."

There is a vast difference in wisdom and knowledge. I believe, wisdom is a gift from God. How I use it is my gift to Him. When I choose not to follow the wisdom of His Word, I flounder. I encourage you to read a Proverb a day. Try it. See if it makes a difference in your attitude.

I chose to stop reading the funnies and my attitude was one of non-merriment in my daily life. The Funny Papers can help form my attitude for the day. They can put a Smile on my lips and add lightness to my heart.....but I stopped reading.

Going back to reading Proverbs has encouraged me to live my life in wisdom, knowledge, education, but more than that, practicality. It is practical to laugh. It is a good dose of medicine and it adds quality to our personalities.

I read an author one time that said when things get bad concentrate on making yourself laugh even if it is false for soon after awhile....your laughter breeds laughter.

I believe being able to laugh and to bring others to laugh is one of the greatest attributes we can have. Laughing at myself first is fun and it allows others the permission to laugh at me or with me, but we laugh. A little laughter can take us away from the negative situations of life even if for just a little while.

I guess it is true: "Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone."
I'm sorry I can't remember who said that. Laughter is contagious. Pass it on. When life begins to get you down, laugh, read the funnies, go to Proverbs and find a reason to gain wisdom and healing in laughter.

Smile! Life really is worth living, laughing and loving.