laughter

Alright, so today I came home to meet Rennata and Taylor before we went back up to the church for our "Financial Peace" class. (This class, by the way, has been one of the best things I've ever done. So that is my plug for "Financial Peace!" If you are 17 years or older and reading this, consider this your encouragement from me to take the class in January when Chris Cole is going to teach it.)

So anyway, I get home and finally get to hold Taylor. Which, as of late, she has become quite cuddly with her daddy...and that is a great feeling. Well, while I'm holding her, I decided to start playing with her, and I begin to kiss her on the neck, and then make grunting noises. I'm just doing this to see if I can get a rise out of her. Well, first she starts to giggle a little bit...so I do it again...then she giggles more...so of course I do it again....more giggling...I start grunting and kissing at her yet again (I'm having a blast at this point!) and that's when she let's out a full fledged laugh!! Several laughs...complete with a big snort to end it! It was one of the best moments of my life. That was probably one of the best times I've ever had with my now 3 1/2 month old daughter.

So, if I get this much pleasure out of seeing my earthly daughter have a good time, then how pleasure does our heavenly father get out of seeing us have a good time? I wonder.

It makes me think of this passage of scripture in Matthew 7:
9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Basically, Jesus is addressing how we need to ask our Father in heaven for good gifts. It seems from looking at scripture that God desires for good things to happen to me. God has my best interest in mind. And when I spend time with Him, it is the best time that He has all day.

The God of the universe wants to give me to live in His blessing and all I have to do to receive it is to spend time with Him. I wonder if God really wants that time with us because of our ability to make Him laugh.

Laughter is a powerful thing.

jeremy