Christmas: Laughter

photo by Todd Huffman / flickr

I think one of the great things about Christmas is the joy that it brings. Not joy from the big, big things of the season--but the tiny things that truly matter. Like the black man in front of me yesterday who got out of his car and gave this white man holding a sign: "Homeless Veteran Hungry" a dollar. As we waited for the light to change he got back out of his car again and picked up the man's water bottle cap that had fallen down on the curb out of the veteran's reach. As he handed the bottle cap to the homeless man--the man's smile was enormous. Somebody the old veteran did not know had given him a great gift of Christmas by simply seeing him, acknowledging him and treating him for a brief moment like a human being.

I look out at the world with so many problems. All the people who will lose insurance. All those who get by on merely a pittance. All the children whose hopes will be dashed because some parent will not keep their promises. Or maybe a world of children whose governments will pass by and ignore them in their great hour of need. 

It would be easy to miss Christmas as did the innkeeper and all those crowds in Bethlehem. Remember the world was dark. Remember Caesar and the Emperor and the Governor called most of the shots. Rome--their government--was in charge.Yet John reminded his troubled readers in a dark world: "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot put it out."

And if this is true some laughter this season is appropriate--as it is every season--but especially at Christmas. Against the backdrop of the too-muchness of so much--I dare to say don't forget to laugh your head off at something this Christmas.

I look forward to the Christmas letter from the Doctors Regina and Andy. They always remind me that little children just might lead us after all. It happened once in a manger. How about in 2017? Thanks to their three kids: Andrew, and Carolyn and Parker. Enjoy.

The Doctors write: Questions we got to answer this past year:

How do ladies know if they are pregnant or not?

Can you turn the map on in the car so I don't lose myself?

Did you know I like to make up stuff because it is more fun than 

    to think about things that are real?

Is Rose going to dog school to learn how to be a dog?

If an octopus has eight legs, does a septopus have 7 legs?

What is a phone book?

How do you walk if you have to limp with both feet?

Did you know that the sky is just blue air?

Rain makes the homes for the fish bigger, right?

Did you know our school bell is supposed to ring at 3:10, 

    but it actually rings at 3:10:43?

Do French people really kiss by sticking their tongues out all over each other?

Is it really hard to be a weatherman because you have to do all that pointing

   at the screen?

So beef isn really just a dead cow?

Why can't we have 6 fingers on each hand? It would be so

   much easier for counting."

Photo by Randy and Diana Wright (their cat)

As Tiny Tim said: "God bless us all."

--Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com