Today we will laugh. Today we will encourage others to laugh. We will smile. Look people in the eye. Think positive, hopeful things. This is not to say that things are not sad. It is not to say that you do not have challenges and difficulties. It is not to say that you have not been hurt. It is to say we are going to do something different today. We are not going to be victims. We are not going to blame others. We are not going to engage all that could have been. We are going to laugh, and we are going to do the things we wish everyone else would do. Today the world will be a brighter, more hopeful place because of YOU. When you laugh you will light up the room. When you smile you will soothe the sorrow of someone hurting. When you listen you will lessen the load of a hurting person.
Could you join the ranks of those who insist that the world is terrible? Could you join the ranks of those who say that Barrack Obama is the anti-Christ? That John McCain is just another Bush and 4 more years of chaos? That Sarah Palin is a pretty face and out of touch? That Joe Biden is part of the "good ol' boy club?" Could you say all these things? Sure. And others are already saying it. So you don't have to! Say what's important to you. Nothing more. Nothing less. You don't have to talk bad about others to make your point. You can say positive, hopeful things. You can laugh, and you can help someone else laugh, too.
I'm going to a hockey game today. The boys have really been practicing. They skate forwads and backwards. They check. They pass. They score. My guess is that no child wants to do poorly. He may not always do the best he is capable of. But he didn't set out to do poorly. They'll do their best. Perhaps my son will play lots and do well. Maybe he won't. What will be my contribution to the game? What have I been practicing?
I will smile. I will laugh. I won't pout. I won't shout at the referee or the coach. I won't tell the person next to me that the coach doesn't know what he is doing. I won't blame someone if the game doesn't turn out the way I would like. This is a small matter. Perhaps by practicing at a hockey game I can do it better in the real important things in life, too. Maybe if I can do this at a hockey game I can do it with my children's teachers, my pastor at church, the next policeman that stops to give me a ticket, and the future leader of my nation. I can smile. I can laugh. I can make life a little sweeter.
Here's the mountain man challenge: Laugh your way to the top. Be delightful bright. If being positive and hopeful is trite and superficial, it is still 100 times better than being cynical, critical, and "deep thinking." You are the light of the world, Matthew 5:14. You are a brand new creation, 2 Corinthians 5:17. You are a holy, royal, and righteous people, 1 Peter 2:9. And you have made my world 100 times better by being in it! Thank you for the laughter. Thank you for making me smile.
I love you very, very much. Jeff, on the mountains!
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8 comments:
Jeff on the Mountain. I love this blog and I love you. Making people laugh, one of the true blessings that we give to our fellow individuals and the extent and intensity of that blessing is something we would not know and that is the double blessing I believe we receive in return. Speaking of making people laugh I would like to share something with you and everyone (many may have come across this), it is a link to the 2005 commencement speech given at Kenyon College by the late David Foster Wallace. Mr. Wallace passed away after an apparent suicide on September 12th. Mr. Wallace’s work as an author brought humor and laughs (even cries) to other people’s lives in the words of the books he wrote. I read the words to this speech in the Friday edition of the Wall Street Journal and his words spoke directly to me and were a blessing to me. They reminded me that I have a choice in how I think about the world around me and the impact those thoughts could have on those around me. I will say his speech will not disappoint those who know his writings, because it is “colorful”, but it is also full of rich ideas to think and pray about. My love to everyone and to the family of Mr. Wallace. Here is the link to the speech: http://www.marginalia.org/dfw_kenyon_commencement.html
Big A is for Big Awesome! You made me smile. You made my day. The hockey game was great. The behavior of many parents was not. I want to learn. I want to grow. I don't want to be as I "have" been. I also don't want to be as some are. I want to be what we can be: bright, positive, hopeful. I want to smile. I want to laugh. I want to encourage. I want to build up.
You have made my day today. Thanks for the link. Awesome. Thoughtful.
My wife bought me a "healthy" cereal. It tastes ickey. But the cereal has a cool name: Good Friends. On the back of the box its says: Day of Change-- 7 grain mission. I will savor broccoli; I iwll make friends with whole grain. I will make someone smile. I will _______. Very cool. Breakfast Cereal encouraging good behavior.
Thank you for encouraging...you make me smile! Jeff
big a, thank you so much for an incredible link. I read it in its entirety and am sending it to my 3rd year college grand daughter. I'm also printing it and mailing it to my master's degree brother whom I know will thoroughly enjoy it.
Mountain Man--so glad the hockey game was good. And, also, happy you are eating your greens and grains. Your wife sincerely loves you by seeing that your diet is nourishing and filling. :)
The part about 'no such thing as atheism....' We all worship something--it just depends on what we CHOOSE to worship. Good stuff. What an inspiring thought.
I choose to be the very best that I can be. I choose to encourage my children, andchildren and friends.
Right now I have a big smile on my face. Blessings to you big a and Mountain Man, blessings to you, too.
Years ago while driving home from church, still warm and happy after a wonderful service and visits with friends & family, I happened to notice people in other cars, obviously, from their attire, also returning from church. I don't think I saw a single happy face, all frowns and scowls. What a way to show the love our Savior has for us! How can nonbelievers listen to anything we say if our actions are so negative? The old saying "Your actions speak louder than words." is surely true. We must "act" the Good News if we want others to accept it. And speaking of laughter, I had a real belly-laugh from Boston Legal last night, a show that can be rather profane but always has an excellent message. Aunt Maggie
Mawzy and Aunt Maggie,
Thanks for your insights and challenge, too. Auntie M, interesting commentary on how we sometimes show ourselves. How might we come along side each other and gently encoruager each other to a higher ground, a more hopeful look? What works with you. I have a couple of mentors I am learning from. A helpful language for me is when someone sees me hurting or anxious and invites me to try something new, just a little at a time...Yesterday a man asked me if I ever do any grazing? His point was is that I appear always moving...."What would it look like you you spent a little time here and there..." It was scarey. I first I thought "Can't you see all I am doing?" Then I calmed and thought, "He is inviting me to learn." And he promised to help...how might you and I help someone smile today?
Thanks for taking the lead. See you on the top! Jeff
When we lose our joy, we lose our strength.
Be joyful always.
Be strong and courageous.
Be hopeful.
Smile.
Your "laughter" is contagious!
It can take courage to be joyful.
Just the other day I raised both hands up high overhead with a big smile on my face. Felt kind of wierd. Made some others feel wierd too I think. Made me smile more.
Some good friends of mine always seem to be in a great mood. They always have smiles on their faces, and they always have uplifting and encouraging words to say. I LOVE being around them. I find myself smiling more, and having a better attitude and outlook.
Well they decided awhile ago that saying negative things, having frowns on their faces, and complaining about things that didn't go quite their way wasn't changing anything, and it certainly wasn't making the situation better. So they made a Stinkin Thinkin Negative Box and put it in their kitchen. Everytime someone said something negative, kids included, they had put poney up some money for the box. They were hoping it would help them think about their thoughts before they said just blurted something negative outloud. Well that happenned, but so did so much more. They have this wonderful Pollyanna attitude now that is so cool to be around, it makes my day to spend just an hour or so with them. How cool is that!
So I challenge everyone to stop their stinkin thinkin! You'll be amazed at the rewards.
Thanks for the concrete model of how we can change behavior and attitude. Isn't it amazing how a non-smoking person can encourage a smoking person to quit; or a non-drinking person can encourage a drinking person to quit. Or a healthy person encourage an out of shape person to change their diet. But when it comes to our attitude and behavior people can really huner down and say: This is the way I am! As though there is no changing...So why the Bible Study? Why the help groups? Why counselors? Why churches? Why youth leagues? And when a person is positiv and bright, aren't they then the "gossip" of a simple minded folk? Did you know that many of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders have advanced degrees? They do! They are also very bright and positive. It seems that most really negative people are just very sad and hurting people crying out. So love a little. Listen a little. But keep doing what you are doing! You are lightening the world and it is very, very Biblical thing you do!!! On the mountains...
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