Please, Take Your Laughter More Seriously, Folks
I suppose you're wondering why I would post a sign in the sidebar of my blog telling the blessed readers of this blog that I am an "Insignificant Microbe". Let me be perfectly clear. It's for my own benefit. It pays for me to have little reminders here and there not to take myself too seriously. I have little reminders all over the place (I just put three of them to bed for the night). If you have kids, you know what I'm talking about.
You might think I'm just trying to be funny, but this is perfectly serious business. My dad was telling me about a children's lesson he taught in church last week. The kids had to try eating a doughnut suspended above them without using their hands, or some such nonsense. I asked him what the super-spiritual point of that was. He said, "A cheerful heart is good medicine." I'm sure he really had to pound that lesson into those kids' brains. Note: It would have been even more spiritual if he would have used fruit instead of a disgusting trans-fat-laden, chock full of sugar doughnut. But I digress.
Sometimes fun times, laughter, humor, and a cheerful heart are the ends and the means. We tend to think of seriousness and laughter as being complete opposites, but I'm not sure they are. Take Christmas, for example. I am extremely serious about seeing to it that my kids have a great time on Christmas Day. And I am buying many toys, games, and (natural sugar) treats toward that end. It's tempting sometimes for me to give in to the whole "materialism-is-evil-so-we'll-be-celebrating-Christmas-on-two-cents-per-child" routine. This is tempting because it is what "weird people" do, and as you all know I enjoy my life outside of the mainstream (notice I didn't call myself "weird"). Last year I justified my wild spending by buying (almost) only educational gifts. I have decided that this year I would spend wildly (within the limits set by my fiscally responsible husband) on things that will be just FUN. But then I also spent beyond the limits on some more educational gifts, too. Don't tell my husband about that part. He'll never know...he doesn't even read my blog. hehe
ANYWAY, the point is that the Bible has a lot to say about joy, good cheer, and celebration. I realize that our children need to understand the reason we celebrate Christmas, and I certainly do not want to feed my children's natural affinity for being greedy little sinners. That's why I never ask them what they want for Christmas. Who cares what they want! It's not about what they want. It's about what they need! And what do they need? To have lots of fun on Christmas morning! :-)
You might think I'm just trying to be funny, but this is perfectly serious business. My dad was telling me about a children's lesson he taught in church last week. The kids had to try eating a doughnut suspended above them without using their hands, or some such nonsense. I asked him what the super-spiritual point of that was. He said, "A cheerful heart is good medicine." I'm sure he really had to pound that lesson into those kids' brains. Note: It would have been even more spiritual if he would have used fruit instead of a disgusting trans-fat-laden, chock full of sugar doughnut. But I digress.
Sometimes fun times, laughter, humor, and a cheerful heart are the ends and the means. We tend to think of seriousness and laughter as being complete opposites, but I'm not sure they are. Take Christmas, for example. I am extremely serious about seeing to it that my kids have a great time on Christmas Day. And I am buying many toys, games, and (natural sugar) treats toward that end. It's tempting sometimes for me to give in to the whole "materialism-is-evil-so-we'll-be-celebrating-Christmas-on-two-cents-per-child" routine. This is tempting because it is what "weird people" do, and as you all know I enjoy my life outside of the mainstream (notice I didn't call myself "weird"). Last year I justified my wild spending by buying (almost) only educational gifts. I have decided that this year I would spend wildly (within the limits set by my fiscally responsible husband) on things that will be just FUN. But then I also spent beyond the limits on some more educational gifts, too. Don't tell my husband about that part. He'll never know...he doesn't even read my blog. hehe
ANYWAY, the point is that the Bible has a lot to say about joy, good cheer, and celebration. I realize that our children need to understand the reason we celebrate Christmas, and I certainly do not want to feed my children's natural affinity for being greedy little sinners. That's why I never ask them what they want for Christmas. Who cares what they want! It's not about what they want. It's about what they need! And what do they need? To have lots of fun on Christmas morning! :-)
3 Comments:
We also do not ask what our children want...we give them what we think they would like.
Here, here, Amey. I remember the year we got you a (loud) tinny children's drumset. I'm not sure the reason...but, look how musical you turned out. Then there was the wooden slide that Dad built (which eventually put a splinter in everyone's behind)that's when we figured out to use a piece of paper to slide down on... and thus, your love of papers. So you just never know!
So Mom, it's really YOUR fault that I love papers? I think now that I'm up to my armpits in papers, I'd really like you to come take some back.
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