LAUGH YOUR TROUBLES AWAY

Milton, here:

The last few days have been especially hard for me. Emotionally I'm drained and am being challenged in other ways too. Yet, God reaches His hand out when I am in need and touches Kristy and me.

Last night right at bedtime, Alex and I were in the bedroom with Kristy. He kissed and kissed her all over her face and, of course, I had to join in the sweetness.

Kristy looked up and said, "Tell me something funny." She had just been struggling with confusion and was not feeling so well. But, she reached out for cheer. We thought for a moment and were kinda stumped and then we just began to laugh. She laughed with us and we all felt better.

***

Two summers back we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary in Savannah, Ga., at a beautiful B&B. We arrived Sunday afternoon, unloaded, and went out for dinner downtown overlooking the river.

We returned late and went upstairs to our presidential room overlooking Forsyth Park. I'm lying on the bed watching the huge flatscreen TV hanging on the wall over the mantel. Kristy is puttering around in the room and reached out to adjust the shade covering a huge window overlooking the park. The whole, big shade comes tumbling right down. Now the world is looking into our bedroom.

It's late. The proprietor is an old lady. We're the only ones staying in the Inn that night. The darkness of night is peering into our room, and there's no ladder to fix this dilemma.

Frustration took hold in me. "Why couldn't she have left well enough alone," I thought. I didn't say anything much that I remember, but my expression gave me away.

Well, here I am standing on the back of an old rickety chair, straining as high as I could, holding the shade in one hand, balancing with the other, and dressed in less than my Sunday best. It wasn't easy, but finally all was repaired and I climbed down.

She looked at me. I looked at her.

I burst into uncontrollable laughter. She began to laugh and we stood there hugging and laughing and about to roll on the floor. Laughter made a lot of tension go away that night. Laughter has brought lots of medicine into our lives.

***

As we walked the streets of Savannah those three days:

We laughed. We shared. We dreamed. We explored. We prayed. We learned. We held hands. We drew closer. We reflected. We gave thanks.

***

How is Kristy?

She had another mixed day--confused and alert. Emotionally, as I mentioned earlier, it has been extremely hard for all of us.

We are trusting and holding to His faithful hand.