I wrap my arms around my niece and scoot back to make sure she’s secure on the sled. Her small body fits snug against mine, and with our snow pants and hats and scarves and mittens, it is hard to tell who is who. We both resemble marshmallows, although at two-years-old, she’s a far cuter marshmallow than me.
“Ready?” I ask softly in her ear.
“Ready!” Her smile stretches wide across her face.
My four-year-old nephew is already pushing my back, shoving me with all his might, and then, my niece and I are off, flying down a snow-covered hill on a flimsy piece of bright blue plastic.
I hold onto her as tightly as I can — more for my sake than hers — but she isn’t afraid. Instead, she is giggling, her laugh echoing across the hills that surround us and the frozen beach down below. Her laugh is contagious, and as we spin across the icy ground at the bottom of the hill, I can’t help but burst into laughter too.
I take a deep breath, my lungs gulping the cold air.
“Again!” She tugs my hand — and although I mostly want to lie prostrate on the ground because it’s hard to get up in snow pants — I roll over, grab the sled with one hand and her tiny mittened hand with the other, and trudge back up the hill with her.
It’s her brother’s turn next, so I wait at the top of the hill and watch them. A smile is frozen on my face, but even if it wasn’t so cold I wouldn’t be able to shake it.
I can feel God whisper to me, as I watch my niece and nephew play in the freshly fallen snow, in a soft voice saying, Isn’t it good to laugh, Aliza? Isn’t it good to have fun?
I turn my face to the sky, even though I know the Spirit resides in my very heart, and I laugh again. I think maybe God’s laughing too.
Because this — this fun, this laughter — is so good for my soul.
I’m not always good at having fun — at least not these days. I have a tendency of being serious, wanting to focus my time and attention on my apprenticeship to Jesus, on prayer and Scripture reading, on becoming more like Jesus — all of which are beautiful and important things.
But perhaps part of following Jesus is remembering to laugh.
It’s the middle of winter in Canada. When the snow is fresh, it’s beautiful. When the snow has melted, it just feels cold and grey and bleak. Right now my province is in the midst of a stay-at-home mandate. These days it can be hard to find anything to laugh about. Almost every conversation I’ve had with someone over the past few weeks has included one of us expressing how hard life feels right now. How lonely we are. How tired we are. How we long to see a light at the end of this very long tunnel.
Life feels serious, hard, and isolating. If I’m being honest, life has felt that way for awhile.
But the God who created laughter is reminding me to laugh again. Even in the midst of the winter and lockdown, maybe I can find something to laugh about.
I think of the way Jesus told His disciples to be like little children. Perhaps the children who played with Jesus didn’t play in the snow like my niece and nephew, but I bet Jesus spun them or tickled them or cracked some jokes. More than anything, I bet Jesus had a fantastic laugh.
So I am choosing to laugh. I’ll take a cue from my niece and nephew and I’ll take a hint from Jesus — I’ll try to become like a child again.
I watch my niece trudge back up the hill, yelling my name. “It’s our turn!”
I give her a huge grin, and get back on the sled, bringing her body close to me once more. Then I take a deep breath as my nephew pushes my back — and I laugh the entire way down that icy hill.
And if I listen quietly enough, I think I can hear Jesus laughing too.
My kids and grandkids make me smile huge. Thank God for our opportunities together.
Trying to get our German Shepherd back in the house last night he was 10 feet away just staring at me when I spoke his name & said “C’mon let’s go to bed”. He remained at the door off the porch like I wasn’t there or was speaking Greek but when I whistled as I do when he’s beyond our lights, it was as if he had been shot out of a cannon to come thru the backdoor. A grace & speed fur bullet in from the yard to on our bed in a flash. Now with a look of ‘where ya been Mom, we’ve been waiting for you’. Nothing to do but laugh!
Jesus has kept me and my family through this Pandemic. I’m alive and well to give him Praise.
Thank you for sharing this sweet message this morning. I am smiling and thinking of my own three daughters, Valerie, Victoria and Vanessa. I am a mother who enjoys hearing my girls laugh. It makes my day.
God knew we would be revived when we learned to embrace laughter.
Everyone needs to think of embracing joyfulness. We all need to wake up with hope for a good day. Our future is in the Hands of our Creator. But we get to believe His Words by Faith that we can do whatever is needed to survive one day at a time.
I have learned to embrace a slower pace and I enjoy watching cartoons and coloring even more. I get to help my daughter with transportation until her vehicle is repaired. So I get to see First Graders play outside and run around the playground without a care at all. How refreshing and rewarding for a grownup like me to be reminded that I was once a First Grader too.
God bless you all. Have a great Super Bowl weekend. Be safe!
I have started coloring again too. It is so relaxing.
I recently took my 6 year old granddaughter sledding for her very first time. At age 65 I felt like a kid again racing down that hill with her over and over. We laughed and squealed and it felt wonderful! I am still thanking God about the wonderful opportunity!
Oh Aliza, I knew it was your writing author even reading your name! Thankful for these beautiful words!
It reminds me of Eric Liddell’s famous quote, “when I run, I feel His pleasure.” I find that when I hear my young children’s innocent laughter (definitely zooming down a toboggan hill causes this!), I feel His pleasure, and it reminds me to smile and laugh too.
Oh Aliza, I knew it was your writing even without reading your name! Thank you for these beautiful words!
It reminds me of Eric Liddell’s famous quote, “when I run, I feel His pleasure.” I find that when I hear my young children’s innocent laughter (definitely zooming down a toboggan hill causes this!), I feel His pleasure, and it reminds me to smile and laugh too.
Amen and I say amen!!!
My little min pin – 14 pounds of personality. The way she entertains herself and everyone else, tossing her ball around, racing around the house and pushing her ball into the kitchen when Daddy’s got breakfast ready, racing through the door when it’s cold outside or around the field when we can go for a walk, climbing in my lap and in my face when she wants outside, and just laying contentedly beside me because I’m her person. Such a blessing this little rescue dog has been for us.
My kids, especially my 6 year old and the way her mind thinks.
This was an sweet and lovely reminder to laugh as Aliza wrote, “especially” now. Her writing skills are superb in engaging the reader in a visual memory of happier times. My one question is why when so much of this “story” related to Jesus was not a single Scripture used in reference or at least to set off the theme? I can recall many that would have emphasized Aliza’s point, such as Psalms 100:1 and 118:24, Proverbs 17:22, Romans 12:15, Philippians4:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, and so many more. As good an (in)couragement as this was, it just didn’t seem “right” without a Scripture.
Aliza,
Life gets hard & we lose our joy. It can seem hard to laugh about anything. I remember about 10 years of trials dealing with my aging parents. No joy in mudville for me. Even now it can seem hard to find much to make you happy. Sometimes we have to make our own happiness. A simple sledding down the hill in snow, pillow fight with hubby or simply admiring God’s handiwork in sunrises. Now more than ever we need laughter to lighten the mood & keep us from going plain crazy. Go out there play in the snow, walk in the rain, dance in your living room. Do whatever makes you happy.
Blessings :)0
My husband went away to be with the Lord a few months ago. We laughed all the time before he was sick and I miss that!
But since then, my daughter has come to live with me and she has brought laughter back in my soul.
Proverbs 17:22 says A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Laughter IS good for the soul. I know.
As much as I miss my husband, when I think of him and look at the photos of him( with his BIG smile) I laugh and smile!
The antics of my dog and cat.
My 14 year old son – he has kept us all laughing as we are all quarantined together. Thankful for this extra time with my 2 teenagers over the past few months.
Hi Aliza,
Such a fun post! I feel the laughter through your words which made me smile. I also, can be too serious at times so this was a good reminder to remember that Jesus wants us to laugh, smile and enjoy the life we’ve been given. If Jesus wasn’t fun, the children wouldn’t have been drawn to Him so I’m sure as you said that he laughs along with us.
Now I wish I had a sled or toboggan to go sliding down a hill! 🙂
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Shalom, Sandy
I loved reading this. There are times when my daughter and I start laughing and can’t stop. It’s like the more we try the more we laugh. It feels kinda like when it rains, the outdoors feels so fresh and renewed. The old saying – laughter is good for the soul is true!! There is joy in just being in the moment. Thank you for the reminder.
I am alone most of the time. I miss laughing
I too spend a lot of time alone. Sometimes I laugh out loud when watching tv if I find something amusing. I also try to make my friend laugh when we are texting as she is also alone much of the time. It can be difficult but I encourage you to be your own best friend.
This made me imagine Jesus having fun and laughing as a child Himself! Thanks for creating this image in my mind and especially for the reminder to have fun like a child. Adulting does get too serious sometimes and I know I need to lighten up. Blessings to all!
I have three children. My two sons are in there late 20’s and my daughter is 16. We call her our beautiful surprise. With her I have learned not to sweat the small stuff, that she will make mistakes and that’s alright. But the biggest thing I have learned is the day to day mundane things will always be there. Being with her, talking with her, sharing with her and most fun of all laughing with her are the best things I can do with her. God blessed me with three beautiful children and laughter has filled my house, because as this year has taught us, life is very unpredictable and too short to sweat the small stuff.
Aliza,
What a breath of fresh air this is! My husband has a quick wit and a great sense of humor. He said something funny the other day and I broke into one of those fits of laughter – the ones where you simply can’t stop yourself from laughing. I was practically in tears by the time I regained control of myself. But, if felt soooooo good to laugh. It really is the best medicine. Now, more than ever, we need to go out of our way to read, watch, engage in something funny. Thank you for bringing a big smile to my day!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Yes, we fight the darkness and the despair with laughter. I imagine God laughs a lot more than I think he does. And he is pleased when he hears us laugh.
Walking and seeing beauty in nature.foggy but glimpses of LIght in the river or sun breaking through cloud.
But still I’m bored tonight like you say lockdown and furlough 2!!
We trust in god and his provision but not always easy to be positive
Thankyou for your hope post . It’s 330 am here Sunday and tomorrow or later today is a new day and church online
God bless you and your writing and your ministry
Where is god leading us
Much love Vicki uk
Beautiful.