There are times when a book I haven’t read in a long time comes to me. My youngest Grandchild, James, brought me the book, from my bookshelf, by Ted Foote Jr. “Being Presbyterian in the Bible Belt”. It is a copy that my husband John had. How do I know this? Name in front? Nope.
It’s the Yellow highlighter… John’s way. Mine is to put a dot in the margin. Anyway I’ve copied most of a page…Yellow included. (Once when we were both in Seminary I was taking a required class that John had taken the year before. Great, I’ll just use his book. Uh Nope..his underlining drove me to distraction.)
Anyway. I can see why this line is highlighted.
“God’s love and forgiveness come to us simply out of the boundless mercy of God’s laughter.”
Pause…Deep inhale…Deep Exhale. Smile!
Can you see God laughing. An etherial smile covering the you. Not a mock laughter but a real compassionate love.
(I am not fan of the clips on Facebook or other that shows someone doing a stunt and failing and everyone around laughs.) Somehow that kind of laugh is often mocking. You…silly!
But I am fond of a deep belly laugh. Or even better a child’s giggle. I remember a child giggling that saved me one day. I was having a rough time at work and some folk were not being nice and I hadn’t seen a way through… I was in the grocery store. Suddenly there is was…one aisle over… I hurried round the corner to see a wee one just laughing…and laughing… her mother was laughing along with her…and contagious as it was I started laughing too and then happy tears made their way down my cheeks. Somehow a sign that it was going to be ok. I thanked the mom and the child and the day went on. Deep sigh, smile.
I have often called my life, God’s Comedy Channel. You know stuff is happening in the world so God Dials up my life and says, “It’s a rough day, let’s see what Bobbie is planning.” And God laughs!
I guess what I’ll end saying is if you need this today…here it is.
God’s love and forgiveness come to us simply out of the boundless mercy of God’s laughter.
God abide
Bobbie Giltz McGarey Easton, PA @2023
The Spirit Will Tell You 