As long as the children are laughing....

Is there any sound more heart-warming than the sound of a child's laughter?

God has blessed me with the gift of making children laugh, and it is probably the most cherished talent He has given me. Nothing brightens my day like hearing the laughter of children, of any age. Our next-door neighbors have a 16-month-old, and when he starts laughing, sometimes there's no stopping him. When he laughs, his whole body laughs with him! I had a chance to visit with another neighbor the other night who has three daughters: one in junior-high, one in 1st grade, and one in kindergarten. While visiting, the 1st-grader was sitting with her dad and the youngest one was carrying around a blanket which she started flapping around. I looked at her and said, in as SERIOUS (haha) voice I could muster, "And you BETTER not touch me with that blanket." Of course, all pandemonium broke loose as I was attacked by the blanket, and both girls were laughing heartily. Later, their dad told me that it had been a while since his girls had laughed that hard! I can't help myself: it's like watching a snowball roll down a hill. Once I get a child laughing at me, it's so enjoyable to keep them giggling with delight!

Almost cathartic, actually. One of my favorite of all of Jesus' teachings is Matthew 18:1-4: "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Look at the children: all this week, the only thing on the minds of most (especially our own) was Christmas! How about you? I don't know about y'all, but my heart was cluttered with all sorts of non-Christmas things like work, shopping, schedules, the latest from the Valley Ranch Soap Opera....

It just seems to me that if we really want to appreciate the Advent season, Christmas day, and the rest of the holidays, we need to approach it the same way the children do: with eyes and hearts wide open. Much like the children approached Jesus back then, y'know? The Bible doesn't elaborate on this, but I always imagine children enjoyed being around Jesus, and He with them. In them, He saw hope, unspoiled enthusiasm, carefree spirits, loving hearts... all the things some of us grown-ups lost along the way. If you didn't, congratulations and please tell me how you did it. As for the rest of us, I guess all we need to do is simply go to Him the way the children did: enthusiastically, ready for His call, and hopefully with a smile on our faces.

I hope y'alls Christmas was wonderful. Please keep in your prayers all those for whom there is one less person at the table tonight. Pray that the Lord comforts their hearts this season.

In Him and around the corner (and geeking out over the various gadgets I got for Christmas!), Al