Hey, even before there was an acknowledged financial crisis, I was feeling it, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at me. There are many things we could dwell on that would upset us. People are hurting everyday. You may know some of them. That hurting person may even be you. I’ve personally been thru all kinds of stress in my life and if Christ hadn’t interceded, I wouldn’t be here today. I used to internalize so much (to a degree, still do). I wanted to play the role of Superman (in real life), but it wasn’t meant to be (I actually played the role of the Scarecrow in a local version of The Wiz).

There are simply some things that are too big for you and I. Yolanda Adams made famous a song which said, “The Battle, it’s not yours. It’s the Lord’s.” Whatever it is, if it’s out of your control, give it to Jesus.

There are two things that have helped to keep me sane in times of distress:

A song and laughter

I understand not everyone can sing, but you can find an uplifting song to play, if not in your collection, check the music link on this site. The other thing that will serve you well, is if you have a sense of humor.

Have you ever noticed that our elders, often more times than not, have a great sense of humor? I have. Consult with the older ones from time to time. Chances are they’ve been thru more than we have, and the ones who are still around have many a joke to tell. An example of this might be Cloris Leachman.  On Dancing With The Stars, she’s been the funniest, bar none. Granted, some of her jokes may not be in the best taste, but how else do you explain her remaining so sharp at 82 years of age? I submit to you, God likes comedians. If he was picking between a person who whined all the time and someone who laughed, who do you think he’d keep around?

If you laugh more often, you may live long enough to get thru your current trials and live long enough to face an entirely new set.

Research has shown health benefits of laughter ranging from strengthening the immune system to reducing food cravings to increasing one’s threshold for pain. There’s even an emerging therapeutic field known as humor therapy to help people heal more quickly, among other things. Humor also has several important stress relieving benefits. (taken from about.com)

What am I laughing at, currently:

• The Presidential Debates, via SNL
• The Onion
• Also see Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Colbert and Stewart
• Hulu TV: Comedy Section

Hey, you don’t have to watch the stuff I watch, as long as you find humor in something. Sometimes, you need to laugh.