Giggles galore

Laugh!

Laughter… (Photo credit: leodelrosa…)

Laughter is the best medicine. Author unknown.
Maybe the author is unknown because it’s too big of statement to be credited to one person. Everyone in their heart knows this statement to be true.

Laughter can change a mood instantly, laughter can change a heart forever and laughter can heal physically.

Psychology Today tells us that: “Now comes hard new evidence that laughter helps your blood vessels function better. It acts on the inner lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium, causing vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow. In other words, it’s good for your heart and brain, two organs that require the steady flow of oxygen carried in the blood”

God gifted us with this amazing way to positively affect our lives, we need to embrace it more often.
How can you watch this and not see pure joy?

Baby Giggling

We need laughter in our lives to help us lighten our loads.

Our family would much rather watch a Comedy than a Police drama. We do like most genre of shows and movies, but the memorable ones are Comedies.

Can you watch Modern Family  this week and not feel better afterwards?
Did you know “road trip” and “food fight” was made well-known because of Animal House?

Laughter is important in a home. One of the first things that attracted me to my husband was his smile and laugh. He knew how to have a good time, sometimes maybe too good with his high school friends ( but that’s another post). He laughed and he allowed me to be the silly girl I did so well.  Boy did we have great time with friends, lots of silly stories,many that my children have heard over and over.

We laugh with our children. Family vacations were always Road trips with hours in the car. But they were filled with car games, sing a longs and silly conversations.  I don’t know how many times I was asked if I was a fruit, what type of fruit would I be?  We laughed and laughed. Now that are children are older, we are very close and the now a sense of humor helped to foster those relationships. Aren’t you attracted to people in the room that are having the most fun?

One of my favorite picture of Jesus http://www.jesuslaughing.com/paper-prints.html – I love the image of him as my best friend laughing with me. I think you will too.

Giggle and laugh everyday. It will make you healthy and happy!

How do you live with laughter in your life? Who is your favorite comedian? What makes you giggle like crazy?

A drive or a journey…

So what do you call your travel to and from work each day? Commute…Travel…Drive…Madness…Stressful?

I use to consider mine a “commute”. I’d drive ten minutes out of my way to catch the expressway for the 36 minute drive in. It was easy, I could put the cruise on 70 and coast to work, saying the morning prayers along the way. It became routine, humdrum, monotonous, tedious…boring. I was looking at concrete and watching mile markers tick away.

Then came January 1st.  In Illinois that meant the tollways almost doubled and I vowed to put my money in my tank and not in the tollways system.

So onto the direct route. Stop and go for 160 blocks. But I was determined to make the best of it and what I discovered surprised me!

I did not want to handle the madness on LaGrange Road filled with busy shopping centers and towns, so I opted for Wolf Road and Willow Springs Road. I know what you are thinking…that way is single lane all the way!

But what I discovered was sheer peace.
First – it only took me on average 5 minutes longer (fewer miles but slower traffic)
Second – the traffic was not as bad as i thought and I liked that I wasn’t having to drive 70 to keep up with traffic

But most importantly is what I noticed.

Driving through Mokena’s quaintness each morning. Flags in front yard, stopping guards and children, churches welcoming signs, flowers beginning to bloom. The slower pace was a welcome addition to my morning.

My prayers were less rushed because I was less rushed. I took time with the Lord and was much more thankful for situations around me.

In the 160 block, I pass eight churches! I love being reminded of the importance of God in my life every few blocks.

Then after a short pass through the outskirts of Orland, I head into the Cook County Forest Preserves and the beauty of peace begins.

Traveling for miles and miles of nothing but lakes, trees, forest…green surrounding me, engulfing tree branches over the road, God’s design for our pleasure. Ducks lazily floating in the water, bikers and jogger enjoying the paths of nature, the warmth of the sun filtering between the trees into my sunroof, the deers grazing by the golf course.

I notice the greatness around me.
I bask in the beauty of creation as I reflect on my day.
I pray for those in need and my family’s needs.
I begin each day in peace.

My drive has been transformed from a commute to a journey, my thoughts are filled with positive energy and love. I never am bothered with a slow driver, because it just means I get to see something I might not have seen otherwise.

May you experience a beautiful, creative palette of splendour as you drive to work…and may it forever wonderfully affect your attitude!

Creation

This morning you set forth a series of events that will affect so many other lives. Did you know the power you have to create that affect?

Every decision made throughout our day effects someone else, and usually more than one person.

When we made a decision, we create a reality that will be played out. We create circumstances that create reactions and feeling within those around us. And that effects the next decision we will make. We have the amazing ability which was divinely given to us in which we use our energy and imagination to create. Have you ever thought of each decision as power? Do you realize what the outcome will be for you? for others? Do you know that each of your decisions will trickle to people everywhere, because those around you are altered and then their decision affect others and so on. What power and responsibility we how within us.

It’s impossible to think every single decision we can consciously consider this, but we can be aware of the decisions we make should be supportive, honest and kind.

In the simplest way, begin by stopping and thinking, before I say that.. Is it truthful? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

This would stop so much of the harmful creative decisions we make. This would stop the office gossip and the bathroom buzz.

Let everything that we create with our speech and our actions, be beautiful and everything around us will become brighter.

 

Coloring…release your inner child

 This week I got to do something I have not done in years – picking up crayons and COLORING!!

It was only a bookmark, but crayons in front of me, I flew back to the days of my childhood. Staying within the lines I carefully chose the colors I wanted and began to fill in the bookmark. The act of coloring released an inner child.

I remember the box of 96 crayons with the sharpener on the back. All the colors available to choose from. All the colors I could imagine. All the imaginative names of the colors.  Like Burnt Orange, Cadet Blue, Olive Green or Laser Lemon. Now there are over 400 different colors, but I was blissfully happy with my box of 96. You can see what are America’s top 50 Crayola colors by going to crayola’s site: http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/americas_favorites/index.cfm

Then last night, I met up with some girlfriends I have not seen since before Christmas. As we exchanged Christmas gifts, lo and behold, in one of the bags was a candle, a book Laugh Anyway Mom and a downloaded Laugh Anyway Coloring Book!  The coloring book is a 10 page invitation to COLOR! What do you think the Lord is trying to say to me? Maybe to open the doors to my creative side again. My mother and three wonderful sisters all scrapbook, stamp or quilt. I have not taken the time to discover my crafty side (although I use to sew and really miss it); so maybe it’s time for me to color! and find it!!

Instead of doing the same that has always been done, at work and at home, we need to look with “new eyes”.  Be open to new ideas and new colors. 

And why do we need to stay within the lines? Aren’t the most creative minds those that color outside the lines? There are no steadfast laws that make us stay in the lines when being creative. Consider the Creator…all the different flowers, animals, even each of us are uniquely different. God did not worry about staying in the lines! He challenges us to use the creativity he gifted us with and SOAR!!  

 Today is a blank page for you…
      Tomorrow is a blank page for you…
           so grab a box of 96 colorful crayons…
                and COLOR EVERYWHERE!!