Live Simply, Laugh Often, Love Jesus

When I went on our prayer retreat in January the sweet couple who own Apple Hill retreat had these words hanging over their fireplace. At that time I saw it and thought it was so sweet and really didn't give it much thought. However, these last few days it seems to be my mantra. Nicki spoke yesterday about this same topic so our hearts are in the same place. Of course, "God Calling" is sending us there, but the Lord is speaking in different ways to each of us - isn't is GREAT how He does that? Don't you just love that about Him?

I've been thru a lot of changes in the last 4 - 5 years that have driven me to "Live Simply" so lately I feel like the rest of the world is just catching up to where I've been. The Lord knows that it takes a LONG time to get things thru my head, and it's usually the hard way to get there so He's been working on me in this area for quite some time. Believe me, we're not done yet but I know we've made progress PRAISE HIS NAME!! As I sat watching the news this morning, BIG mistake, I couldn't help but be struck by the fact that even the media is talking about cutting back, scaling down, conserving. We all can agree that we're a self-indulgent, self-centered, self-reliant kinda nation - world and we are suffering from that behavior as a result. They were talking about the price of gas going up, the price of food going up, the interest rates going up - not very encouraging at all - but all I could hear was this Voice saying "Live Simply, Laugh Often, Love Jesus".

Like I said the Lord has been working on the live simply in me for quite some time so I'm going to spend some time on the "laugh often". I admit that I LOVE to laugh. I LOVE to make people laugh. I LOVE to hear laughter - even if I don't know the source! I LOVE to hear babies cackle, older people bustin' a gut, teens doing the "don't let me laugh out loud thing" and girlfriends doing the snort!! (Have you ever laughed so hard you snorted? Come on, admit you have! ISN'T THAT THE BEST?!) Makes you laugh just readin' that doesn't it?! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!! I think in this time of war, disease, murder, sex scandals, broken hearts, corruption - you get the point - we all need to laugh a little more. I don't mean just a soft little chuckle but a full on, put your head on your desk, grab some tissues and just crack up!! You know you even burn calories when you laugh!! ;-) If you don't think you have anything to laugh about, PLEASE let me know and I'll give you a TON of material!! Believe me, in this house, there's PLENTY to laugh at!

I love the time just after a good laugh too. You know when you settle down but still have the smile on your face? That's one of the times I feel Jesus the most. I can feel His warm embrace during those moments. I can feel Him whisper "That feels good doesn't it sweet girl?" Don't you just "LOVE JESUS"! I know I do! I can't wait to get to heaven and laugh with Him and love on Him - in PERSON - for all eternity!! Y'all know I'll be snortin' a LOT in heaven!!!! (makes me laugh that "snortin" came up on my spellcheck! see what I mean? JUST LAUGH FOR PETE'S SAKE!)