Laughter | A Pastor's Thoughts

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August 31, 2016 · 8:00 am

Success

From Brown Book Magazine:1904

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I am going to work with Christ today, for the salvation of my soul, for that is the reward he gives.”

Sayings of the Desert

Whether it is the words of a great writer or a committed monk of the desert, the formula for success seems to be the same. Success is expressed by what we accomplish outside of ourselves by giving to others. Jesus said, “…when you give a banquet, invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind. And you will be blessed because they can’t repay you.” Jesus makes it quite clear that hospitality or works that only have potential payback are not a key to the doorway of success. The essence of success is leaving more than you take. In doing so, your success provides for the welfare of all. Those who provide for the welfare of all find themselves immeasurably rewarded.

There is not one among us who does not seek success. For some, success is big and glowing but for others, it is far simpler. Our skill set, goals and definition of success are all factors in our ultimate success, but one thing remains constant, Those who act only out of selfish motives never find peace. A person who has no peace is not successful no matter how they appear on the outside. One who spends life laughing, loving, and enjoying has the ability to motivate and help others to grow. A person who seeks God in all work will find Him in multiple places. Never think of yourself as “merely” anything, but see yourself as one who contributes greatly to the world. The key word is always – CONTRIBUTE. Our lives will ultimately be measured by our contribution.

Prayer

Lord help me to see the needs of others around as being as important as mine. Lead me to give more than I take and receive graciously what I am given. Let every moment of my work be a time of prayer that is guided toward you. Let my days be filled with laughter and joy and my nights with rest and peace. Please allow me to contribute to the successes of others and to be at peace while doing so. My I leave a trail of abundance as I go about my days. Let me leave more than I take.

Amen

graciously what I am given. Let every moment of my work be a time of prayer that is guided toward you. Let my days be filled with laughter and joy and my nights with rest and peace. Please allow mw to contribute to the successes of others and to be at peace while doing so. My I leave abundance as I go about my days. Let me leave more than I take.

Amen

5 Ways to Find Peace: Life Lessons from an 8th Grade Teacher (zengardner.com)
STEPHANIE LUCAS: “Embracing the God Within Us “ (dreamingwithdolphins.com)
Priorities (davidartist.wordpress.com)
Some Thoughts On Success From Various Authors (consilientinterest.com)

Miracle of Laughter

Laughter is the best medicine. I know you have heard that statement before. There is a true story to back this up.

Laughter’s healing benefits have become synonymous with Norman Cousins, the man who laughed himself to wellness. Norman Cousins was the editor of Saturday Review for over 30 years and was the author of a number of books including Anatomy of an Illness.

In 1964, he returned home from a meeting in Moscow, Russia, experiencing severe joint pain and fever. He was diagnosed with Anklyosing Spondylitis, a collagen illness that attacks the connective tissues of the body. He was told that most likely the cause was from his exposure to heavy metal poisoning. He questioned this diagnosis, because his wife had accompanied him on this trip and never experienced symptoms. While hospitalized, he began to research the effects of stress on the body and found that it could be detrimental to the immune system.
Cousins read about the theory that negative emotions are harmful to the body, so he concluded that if negative emotions were detrimental to health, then positive emotions should improve health.

He checked himself out of the hospital and into a Manhattan hotel suite. He hired a nurse who read humorous stories and played Marx Brothers movies for him. Although his physician did not endorse this, he took massive doses of vitamin C. The only reason the physician went along with this, was that Cousins so strongly believed in the vitamin C supplement. The treatment proved to be so effective that in very little time Cousins was off all painkillers and sleeping pills. He found that the laughter relieved the pain and would help him sleep. He once said, “I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep,” he reported. “When the pain-killing effect of the laughter wore off, we would switch on the motion picture projector again and not infrequently, it would lead to another pain-free interval.”

He returned to work and wrote about his experimental treatment in his book, Anatomy of an Illness. In 1989, it was finally acknowledged in the Journal of the American Medical Association that laughter therapy could help improve the quality of life for patients with chronic illness, and that laughter has an immediate symptom relieving quality.

We may not all rise to the effectiveness of Norman Cousins, but I am sure that we can make a difference. Jesus called us to be the salt and light of the world, and think what a miracle worker you could be if you made it your mission to laughter to the community.