Recently a good friend fell down in a public place and I feared she was quite embarrassed (though bumped and bruised, she was OK). In an effort to assure her that many of us have this malady, I share a piece here that I wrote many years ago. Sadly, not much has changed - while on a walk a few weeks ago I was splayed out on the sidewalk near my home, having tripped over a...a...well, OK, over not much of anything. Enjoy, even if you're not my daughters.

COMEDY CENTRAL, MOM-STYLE

Moshe Waldoks (Who? I don’t really know who he might be but I do know he was right about one thing) said “A sense of humor can help you overlook the unattractive, tolerate the unpleasant, cope with the unexpected and smile through the unbearable.” Unfortunately, there are a lot of us like the folks author/speaker Garrison Keillor describes: “God writes a lot of comedy…the trouble is, He’s stuck with so many bad actors who don’t know how to play funny.”

That would be me. My husband has often said I do not have a sense of humor. (I actually suspect it’s just that I do not have his!) But it is true I have a little difficulty laughing at life’s ups and downs – especially my downs, my falling downs, in particular.

No, I do not have an inner ear problem or weak ankles or anything of that nature. Objects simply appear in my path that were not part of my plan. And that proves to be a bit of comic relief for my daughters.

After I tipped over onto the floor in a local Walmart aisle while trying to see some bottom shelf prices (40-somethings just can’t squat like they used to), tripped over a mop handle while working at McDonald’s and fell into a (really!) well-concealed hole on Sea World’s lawn my girls were so concerned. “Did anyone see you?” they gasped. At least I think that’s what they said. It was quite hard to tell amidst all the giggling.

Mom, the “techno queen,” is also a good source for a laugh. The daughters won’t even let me near the VCR remotes anymore. (Why are remotes all different anyway – is there a Nobel Prize for electronic creativity?) Eyeballs roll as I frantically attempt to push the “pause” while the TV characters run on in fast forward. And the rewind button? Much too close to the “stop.” Well, maybe I like watching the same part of the tape over and over again, did they ever think of that?

Want a good picker-upper? Try watching me find my car in a parking lot. I have been known to insert my key in the door of my car, all the while wondering what all that baby stuff was doing in my back seat (it’s been a long time since we had a baby, mind you). And that startled man waiting for his wife at Target’s door? He must have been quite perplexed when an unknown-to-him female entered his van calling him “Bob” while three young ladies stood by, doubled over with glee.

We won’t even go into my “ability” to distinguish the difference between the men’s and women’s public restrooms. (You know, really, the lines at the women’s lavatories are always so long, anyway.)

All this used to upset me. Part of me did know it really was amusing, but I just could not laugh at it. I was annoyed that others were “laughing at me.” (But, come on – how could they help it?) I didn’t know how to “play funny.” Slowly I am learning to not take everything quite so seriously, remembering the Proverb “a happy heart makes the face cheerful” and that “a cheerful heart has a continual feast.” At this rate, I’ll have no trouble providing a perpetual family banquet!

Looking for Wonder

I wasn't even aware of the wonder just outside my own window.

When the phone rang that morning I was somewhere between sleep and awake, but not yet out of bed. My son-in-law was calling to let me know there was a big buck in our yard. He knew I'd think that was a thing to behold, and he was right.

Drowsy horizontal quickly turned into groggy upright and I searched the recesses of my sluggish brain to see if somewhere information regarding the whereabouts of my camera might be retrievable. Aha - the desk! By the time I removed the lens cap and slowly eased up the shade, my early visitor and his two lady friends had made it across the street, ambling ever so slowly, gracefully across the field. I got off a couple shots through the window and then carefully, ever so carefully eased open the front door to watch the beautiful creatures.

I saw a car make its way down the street and I wondered if the driver would see what I saw. He did. The 3 deer saw him, too, as they became instantly alert. But not overly alarmed, apparently, as they continued their morning munching, satisfied that no harm was imminent. Inspired by that, I grabbed my keys and jumped in my car with the hopes of obtaining a couple more close-up shots of their soulful chocolate eyes, his velvet antlers. Mister lifted his head to me as if to say, "Are you just looking?" Satisfied,  he let me look my fill and I marveled at what God had made.

I wonder how often we miss the wonder. Sometimes, as in this instance with my deer friends, we don't even know it's there. But other times, we see it so much we fail to see it. The blues and greys in the sky above, the wispy cloud fingers. My friend's quick smile. The multitudes of green in the landscape. The sparkle of diamonds in my grandson's eye.

There's a Third Day song that goes like this:

“Lord of all creation
Of water, earth, and sky
The heavens are Your tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on High.

God of wonders, beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy
Lord of heaven and earth.”

I'm grateful for unexpected wonders like my trio of early callers that morning. You can be sure I'll be on the watch for them again. I am greedy for more. But the thing is - all manner of more is all around me. I need only to look, really look. Look, and give thanks to the God of all wonders.

"Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare."  Psalm 40:5 (NIV)

The Grandest Grand Finale

Thanks, China. Who knew, back in the 7th century, that the Chinese would invent something that my family would love every 3rd and 4th of July: fireworks!

When I was a kid, it was the night of the fourth. Mom and dad would pack up their brood of four, add in some popcorn to the mix, and drive down by the river to enjoy - admittedly at a v...e...r...y slow pace - our town's holiday fireworks show. Each...shot...seemed...to...go...off...in...SLOW...motion, and we about fell asleep between each little kaboom, but it was what we had and we didn't know the difference anyway. And that finale - 3 shots in a row - woo hoo!!

When we moved to the Milwaukee area the 4th's display was on the 3rd and MUCH more of a big deal. We weren't among the diehards who went down to the Lakefront on the 2nd, staking out their camping spots in pyrotechnic anticipation. But we did pack a picnic supper and hoof it on down from a mile-away parking spot to a good watching spot late afternoon of the 3rd. (Weird!) people watching was a great way to while away the hours till show time. Worth the wait though, as that whiz bang grand display, grand finale kept our eyes popping and ears ringing long after the long trek back to the car.

Last night we chose to view a local show from the cool comfort of our car. Traditional reds and blues shimmered and sparkled up the night sky and each festive shot was followed by the query of a tiny voice, "Was that the grand finale?" "No, not yet. Soon." was the answer. Question: "Grand finale?" Answer: "No, not yet. Soon." And again. And again. And then: BOOM! BOOM! FLASH! FLASH! It WAS the grand finale and nobody needed to ask if that was it, not even the tiny voice.

Another grand finale, the grandest of the grands, is coming and there will be no doubt, no question about it when it happens. When Jesus Christ returns to this earth it will be known by everyone on earth. "And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matthew 24:30 (NLT)

For hundreds of years people have thought the time was near. It appears now that it's near. But the exact time is not given us to know. We just know that it's near. That He's near. And we will not miss it: "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God..." No, ifs, ands or buts. No more "soon." No more questions. And the most fantastic of grand finales ever.