A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22
The days till my last day in the office are fast approaching. That means packing up 24 years of office stuff and taking it to my much smaller, stuffed to the gills, home office. It also means special times with special friends. Sunday after church some very special friends prepared lunch and we feasted on great food and sweet fellowship. One of these dear friends prayed the blessing over the food and over my wife Judy and me—a prayer that is still tucked in my heart.
Today, we had food in the office. Another special couple brought a banana-nut cake by the office, and we shared that. One of the staff bought DQ ice cream and some great chocolate-chip cookies (though that was really for one of the staff who was celebrating a birthday). Well, we were all sitting around the table eating things that none of us really needed—and enjoying every bite. And just about that time I swallowed it—Hook. Line. Sinker.
“It” happened when one of the staff said to another member of the staff, “Hey, go get Bro. Dewayne’s gift.” I instantly felt all gooey and appreciative and told them how special it was they remembered my retirement. He laid the gift, an envelope, on the table as I was still munching the stuff I didn’t need. I, of course, am thinking about the contents of the envelope—gift card or even cash! In a matter of seconds, someone said, “Go ahead and open your gift so we can see your face.” So…I did.
I picked up the envelope and opened it and as I did a crazy rattling, vibrating sound came from the envelope. It was a “ha-ha” the joke’s on you. One of the guys had taken a “bobby-pin,” bent it, attached a rubber band and a button, wound it up and when I opened the envelope, it started spinning making sounds like a baby rattlesnake on steroids. Needless to say, I jumped, and they laughed. The joke was on me…and it was a good one…and I enjoyed it.
I’ve lived long enough to know the value of love and laughter. The friends that shared a meal in our honor Sunday showed us love and it was so good and so valuable. The friends that shared a joke in the office provided a time of laughter and that too was so valuable. I am sure we need to learn to love deeply and often and yes, we need to learn to laugh deeply and often.
These two, love and laughter, are two of the secrets of a rich life. Most of us know and understand the value of loving and being loved. If you need a quick lesson just reread John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” There it is…love 101 in the nutshell. And laughter, well, Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” In other words, laugh because it is good and if you don’t laugh—you might just end up with dry bones! Oh, and if someone hands you and envelope…be careful. But if God hands you an envelope, don’t you worry…no matter what, He’s got that. Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 