Humor

Humor

“Laughter is carbonated holiness.”—Anne Lamott.

too much fun

Anne Lamott is a brilliant writer who helps us look for the humor in the truth.

Without question, the God of our understanding has a sense of humor. Therefore, our spiritual life or relationship with God should reflect that humor. Some things that happen to us can only be explained by acknowledging that our God undoubtedly has a sense of humor! For example, this is the God who keeps bringing annoying people into my life–until I realize that what bothers me about them is something unrecognized in myself. I recognize this as one of God’s little “jokes.”

Sometimes, there are situations that can only be tolerated by our having a sense of humor. There was a boy in our medical school class, Mike Levinson, whose frequent quote was, “You’ve got to laugh, or you will cry!” Some challenges then were so formidable that we had to find some lightness in them. When we can acknowledge humor and even absurdity in life, the Spirit is working in us to comfort us. If the joke is at someone else’s expense, making fun of another—it is not from God. I see God in situations where I can see the humor in some of my own character defects, my sins. “Goodness, gracious, God, I just did it again!”

I learned about humor and character defects from 12-step groups. It is not “gallows humor” when something deadly serious is made fun of in a silly or seemingly disrespectful way. There is a fine line.

My mother did her best in her lifetime, but I did not appreciate her. I can now remember that whenever I would call her, I would expect her to be different, instead of contemplating how I might change my way of relating to her. As I now look back on this, rather than beating myself up, I see how humorous it is to “do the same thing over and over the same way and expect a different result.” It is so accurate. It is amusing. It is also insanity!

When I become too serious or am with a friend who looks at life too somberly, my experience is that our playing is the antidote for both of us. It might be playing with our children or grandchildren, or being with friends who know better than we do how to lighten up and “let go.”

Joanna  https://www.joannaseibert.com/

 

 

Living with Limitations: Crafton

Crafton: Living with Limitations

“Just because you’re disabled doesn’t mean you’re not anything else. Have you lost an ability you used to have? Something you loved? Have you had to say goodbye to it? Maybe there’s another way or another place in which you can still do it, or something like it.”—Barbara Crafton, eMo from The Geranium Farm (geraniumfarm.org), August 16, 2018.

Metropolitan Museum New York City

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports on its website that 61 million adults, or about one-fourth of adults in this country, have a disability that majorly impacts their lives. The most common disability involves mobility, which affects one in seven adults. This limitation is more common in women, especially those with lower income in the South. Cognitive impairment is the most common disability in younger adults.

Barbara Crafton, who once visited St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Little Rock, contributed to an almost daily email eMo from the “Geranium Farm,” including a picture of artwork related to her story. For example, one week, she featured a Van Gogh painting, “Summer Wheat Field with Cypresses,” painted in the artist’s last year, a view from a window in his room at a mental facility. Her last eMo was now several years ago. We honor her today for so many years that the many faithful daily waited for her wisdom.

My experience is that each of us has what the Apostle Paul calls a “thorn” in our flesh. We are mistaken if we imagine another person doesn’t suffer from this “thorn” in some form.

We have a choice of how to respond to a disability. But, more and more, I believe we can ask in our prayers how that thorn brings fresh light into our lives. Those in recovery will say their addiction brought them to an alternative life they never dreamed possible. I encounter people with cancer changing and improving the lives of others with the disease. I recognize parents with disabled children who are experts in patience, kindness, and love.

There is a new pathway. It may not mean overcoming the disability, but rather waking up to a divine message or being open to a new direction in becoming the person God created us to be.

barbara Crafton

God's Presence

God's Presence

"When, like Elijah, you're surprised by sheer silence, listen to God speaking deep inside. When, like Peter, you're scared by the wind on the sea, look to Jesus right there with you. Finally, when bedtime nears, stop and review how the Spirit caught you by the hand and caught you off guard with love. Hold these close to your heart and go to sleep."—Br. Luke Ditewig, SSJE, from "Brother, Give Us a Word," a daily email sent to friends and followers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE.org).

At National Gallery of Art

God promises God is always with us, beside us. Always. All the time. How do we feel that presence? My experience is that when I connect to the God within me, the Christ within me, and when I can see the Christ in my neighbor, I feel God's presence. 

We feel God's presence when we feel the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, and kindness (Galatians 5:22-23). We feel God's presence when we suddenly realize we can do something we did not think we could do.

During troublesome times, God shows up in the presence of someone who loves us just as we are. This epiphany can be in a phone call, an email, a snail mail, or even a text.

It isn't easy to spend any time outdoors in nature, or even to gaze outdoors to observe the birds feeding near our windows without feeling the presence of something greater than ourselves.

Gratitude helps us put on new glasses so we can recognize God's presence in our lives.

Forgiving ourselves and others keeps us from putting up the barriers that prevent us from seeing God in our lives.

Beauty in art, music, the sacred word, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writings can open up our eyes, ears, and minds to see God sitting right beside us—on a bench at the National Gallery or in the center orchestra section, or as we curl up in our favorite chair with a favorite book.

Repentant Magdalen 1635 Georges de la Tour National Gallery

Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/