Normally when I hear “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” it is in reference to singing, which is all well and good. However, I like to think joyful noises are not limited to songs…those noises can also refer to laughter.
I remember when Dan was little. He tried so hard to be angry when he felt he had the right to be, but it just wasn’t in him. Keith would “sneak” toward Dan with his fingers poised to tilt Dan’s frown upside down and Dan would smile, giggle and then laugh out loud. His laughter overpowered his bad moods. Isn’t that the way it should be? Even now, I cannot look at pictures of young Dan without seeing the smile that continues to light his face.
Mate, our foreign exchange student, wrote recently, “I miss all the Family dinners. And all the humor. My parents always try to be funny, but it just doesn't work for them that well.” Mate is a funny guy. He continued to tell me about his religion teacher: “He just doesn't make sense at all and his only question in tests is: "what have we learned in the previous lessons?" [I] Would write nothing, but am afraid he doesn't see it that way.” Every member of our families at least try to be funny and Mate was surrounded by sarcasm the entire 10 months in the U.S. Luckily, he appreciated it; not everyone does. We had many good laughs when Mate was with us, we had many before he came and we will continue to laugh even as he lives life in Hungary. I hope his parents continue to practice being funny, it doesn’t always come naturally; we often have to nurture it.
Laughter is the best medicine, or so we are told. I have to believe it because I have seen it in action. Keith leaves behind smiles and laughter in every doctor’s office we visit. At least he did until this past week. Due to his lack of lymph nodes on his left side, he has developed Lymphedema. Lymphedema is a gathering of fluids in the extremities due to the fact the lymph nodes are no longer there to direct it out of the body. There is no cure, but it can be controlled with massage and wrapping. We visited an occupational therapist who specializes in Lymphedema and start to finish, all of Keith’s jokes and smart remarks fell on “deaf-to-humor” ears. Every little flippant comment, which normally draws at least an eye roll from other health care workers, was left with no response. She asked if he had any hard areas on his arm: He answered by flexing his muscle and saying, “Just this one.” She looked very seriously and asked him to show her exactly where. He had to explain that he was joking, that the only hard parts were his “guns” to which she replied, “Oh, do you hunt?” He joked about only taking his shirt off to show off to the girls next to the pool…nothing. In response to the question, “are you allergic to anything?” He responded “Yes, washing dishes.” She marked it on his chart. I felt bad for Keith. If he was a comedienne on Seinfeld, he would have been labeled as having a bad set; and booed off stage by a heckler. Her inability to catch his jokes threw his timing way off. He no longer knew how to answer her questions. He had to get serious and it didn’t sit well with him. The appointment was not very enjoyable. If you can’t have a little fun at the doctor’s, it makes for a long day.
There are so many times I feel like screaming, crying or cursing but nothing makes me feel better than a hearty laugh. I imagine that God loves the sound of laughter almost as much as the sound of earnest prayer. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord today, laugh hard, laugh often and laugh at people’s jokes, even if they may not be very funny, it will make you both feel better!
