Live a life of laughter??

I wear many hats. I am a business woman, a Women's Ministry leader, a Mother, a Wife, a daughter,a part of a Youth Ministry, a event-coordinator for Adopt A Block, a "dear abby" friend, and my "day job". I always have to giggle whenever someone who knows me in one of these hats that I wear, realizes or is told, I wear a totally different hat at other times in the day. I have heard "how do you balance it all?" Today I thought about it. I am dealing with a secretary that won't work, a volunteer that is saying things that goes against what I believe, a child that is being selfish, a husband that I am worrying about because he does too much, a mother that feels like she doesn't get enough of my time, a x-prostitute in our ministry that needs watched like a hawk, a group of teen girls that think church is a dating game- regardless of the "woo to you if you cause another to stumble", and some of the disturbing & evil things I have to hear and see, at work. My answer.... WORSHIP~ lots of Prayer ~ and Laughter.
Worship~ easy-- I love the Lord, and have a worshipers heart. It takes everything I have not to bust out in dance at church sometimes. That's my fault though.. My deep down shyness keeps me barely contained. I close my eyes, towards the ceiling and can see Gods throne.. I can almost see His feet. I can feel his pleasure, His love for this child whose heart dances before Him in unashamed love. God has put dances in my head, I can see them when I hear music.. For our churches first Women confrence, He has put it on my heart that I am to do worship dance to a song He has pasted in my heart months ago... I saw the whole thing... and if anyone has ever read my corinasworkout.. you would know why the thought of me doing this is SO NOT ME!
Prayer~ a little harder... I love to pray.. But feel like I sometimes repeat myself too much. I have come to the area in prayer, where I just talk to Him like He is sitting in the seat next to me. I have been praying in the mornings on the way to work, 45 minutes. It is a set out part of the day, the first 10%. Sometimes I realize that I have gone 10 minutes in a daze without speaking a word.. But I don't turn on my Christian books on tapes. (something I use to love to do on the way to and from work) God put it on my heart that it was becoming more of a "hooked on thing" so in a putting my flesh under control..I now pray during the morning ride. Sometimes it is quiet.. Peaceful. Sometimes it is I am sure causing others to stare. But one thing I have noticed... It has been moving some mountains!
Laughter~ Ahhhh... I love to laugh. To look for the "funny side" of every situation. I might not be able to see it at the moment... But when I look back, I sure do laugh a lot. Some people I have noticed, laugh at the expense of others.. That whole "its funny to me, regardless of if you are being hurt in the process". Me, I just look at the possibilities and have that outlook of "hey why not be joyful?" My kids say its the "National Lampoon" thing that happens to our family, but when I think back at some really bad times when the boys were little... I am glad that the laughter was always there. It wasn't fun or funny back all those years ago,when I would cry out to the Lord (even before I served Him)"please feed my babies tomorrow" because there wasn't enough left.. When my heart was breaking because my marriage was falling apart.. The drinking, anger and distance that filled my house... The quietness afterwards, the scary "Can I do this alone?" before realizing that I WASN'T alone....
If anyone asked my kids about those times, they would say, "yeah I remember eating Mac and cheese almost every night there for a while.... But we always had fun." The boys and I would spend hours laughing, playing, and making it. After the call on my heart got so strong I couldn't take it.... We found laughter in Church, in our new friendships and in our new walk of life. All these years later.. My kids are older, my finances are better, my life is more peaceful, and the laughter remained.
Today I have all those above "daily" battles, I have these blogs to journal my life, the books on tapes to further my mind, the workout to get this body fit, the relationships that grows my heart and patience, the "sights I see & hear" to always keep me running to God for guidance, but most importantly.... The JOY I feel every day knowing that I am a Child of a King, a sheep that needs herded, a woman who loves her God, her husband, her children, and all those whom our God loves.
Besides.... I figure God has a great sense of humor... I heard a pastor say once... ***You know, we think we are soooooooo smart.. Think of our brain compared to Gods.... Its like a speck on a countertops... You know He is sitting up there grinning and pointing down at us, after we puff ourselves up after doing something good.... "Ahhhh look at him.... So-& So is a dumb little thing, but he sure is cute!"
Laugh Hard,
Love Deep, &
Live for the Lord