NOT FUNNY!

I was re-reading some recent blog posts and I realized most are not funny. That may not surprise you if you read me often but it surprised me a little because I consider myself a pretty funny person!

(Although this may be like the time I had put Lauren off several times about going to the park on a Saturday because I was playing catch-up and cleaning house. Finally, in the afternoon, we headed to the park and I said, “Lauren, I’m sorry Mama wasn’t very fun today” and in her 4 year old wisdom she patted my hand and intoned, “That’s okay, Mama. You’re never very much fun.” !!!! I wanted to shout, “I used to be fun! Before I was a Mom, I was really fun!” Okay, so here it is….. “Before I was so serious, I used to be funny!”)

It is interesting how we see ourselves versus how others see us. When I knew Dr. Phil before he was THE Dr. Phil, he said, “If people keep telling you the same thing about yourself and you don’t see it, maybe you need to take a look and see why they are saying it.” (my paraphrase)

It has been true in my life more than once.

For years people thought I was angry when I didn’t feel angry, but my body language said what I couldn’t—that I was in a painful relationship and stuffing all my hurt and emotions until they leaked out in the wrong places and at the wrong people.

Now I find myself being “not funny” when there is plenty in life that IS funny!

Kary and I love to laugh—we love plays on words and puns, so I guess not only are we funny, we’re also punny! In fact, Kary is one of the most fun, funny people I know and he can make me laugh like no one else. It is a hallmark of our family—we all enjoy a good sense of humor and we’ve always laughed a lot.

But I’ve recently been on some sort of introspective journey—maybe it is age, maybe the empty nest, maybe, who knows, but I have spent a lot of time in self examination and it hasn’t been funny.

I think it is good to stop sometimes and take stock. We trudge upward and onward on the road of life and if we’re not careful, we forget that it is about the journey, not just the destination. God calls us to stop and rest and look around at the beauty He has placed at every turn, not just keep our head down gutting it out till the end.

So I was reading a book about clutter the other day and the writer said the amazing thing to him is that as he goes to people’s homes to help them declutter, they look around at the stuff and ask, “Where did all this stuff come from?” as if they went on vacation and someone filled their house with junk!

It was an “aha” Holy Spirit moment for me. I knew that feeling in my home and I am experiencing that feeling in my life right now.

How did I get to this place? Where did all this “stuff” come from? When did I get un-funny and weighed down by the weight of the world instead of being able to laugh at the absurdity of life? Who stole my joy?

Thelma Wells says, “The world didn’t give you your joy so the world can’t take it away.” I love that! But Scripture says in the Parable of the Sower that some seed is sown among the thorns—that we hear the word but the worries of this world choke the word and it does not bear fruit. (Matthew 13:1-23)

That sounds like joy stealing to me and when it happens, its not funny!

But Thelma Wells is right as well. Our joy is not to come from this world. If we let the worries of this world choke out the Word from our lives, it is our own fault.

I realized that there is much to be worried about—if worry was an option. Even though I am heartsick at the direction our country is heading, even though I see the Last Days unfolding before my eyes, even though the economy is in the toilet, even though in a few short weeks, President Obama has dismantled 8 years of pro-life policy, even though…..

None of it matters because I am called to count it all joy. I am called to rejoice always. Even though…….doesn’t matter because Jesus has overcome!

I am called to keep my eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith, not on my circumstances.

That is not particularly funny, but certainly something to be joyful about and when joy bubbles over, laughter takes hold. We can laugh at the absurdities of this life knowing that this world is not our home.

And don’t get me wrong—abortion is not funny. Sex trafficking is not funny. Disease is not funny. Hurting, lost, lonely, people are not funny.

My heart will still break with the things that break the heart of God and yet, Jesus laughed! His life and ministry were full of love and laughter as the Kingdom of God came near and transformed death to life.

Having the greatest news ever should make me giddy with joy! So why recently did I forget to tell my face? (Not to mention all my friends, including you?)

I have been reading James lately and his whole discourse on faith and works is fascinating. I have always believed that our works are the outworking, overflowing of the Spirit of God transforming our lives. That as I am being transformed into the image of our dear Jesus, it becomes a faith-walk and a faith-work in progress. It makes us run to living out our faith in good works because of our love for God and people.

But like the people standing in clutter filled rooms asking, “Where did all this come from?”, I found myself standing in a clutter filled life asking the same question—”where did all this work/stuff/activity come from?” Is this what He meant by life and living it abundantly?

I don’t think so. The Holman Bible says, “in the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.”

Gulp. Suddenly the Holy Spirit illuminated something to me—I had confused my doing “the word” (i.e. busy “saving” the world) with His doing the word in me—living the word and the abundant life not as running around doing all the “religious” “church” stuff, but doing love, joy, peace, patience, self control, gentleness, etc.

You see, somehow, I thought in all my doing stuff I’d just be loving, joyful, peaceful, etc. as I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off! Call me frazzled and stressed but oh, so joyful!

In that early morning moment, I realized that the doing the word James talks about is LIVING love, joy, peace in my life and sphere of influence as I go about doing the things He has given me to do. Being a doer of the word doesn’t mean activity! It means letting Him make my “to do” list of what He wants me to be in Him!

It had not been a conscious thought that I was more about doing than being, but somehow I got caught up in the “busyness is next to Godliness” paradigm which is the hallmark of American Christianity. When the word went out that “someone” ought to…….., I became the someone, until this week when I realized that burning the candle at both ends just gives you a shorter candle not more light!

The world is a hopeless rat race. Why would anyone want my life, if it is no different from the other rats? But someone who laughs as she runs thru the maze of life because her hope is not in this world at all? That is something people are looking for and that is why this sister chick is getting her funny bone back!

With love and laughter,

Kim

PS My Spring Schedule is filling up! Looking for a speaker for a ladies tea, retreat, or Mother/Daughter Event? Let me know!