I bought a friend a birthday card today which had a quote on it from Nicolas De Chamfort who was apparently a witty French writer in the 1700′s (I had to Google that! ). Anyway, it says “The most wasted of all days is that during which one has not laughed.”

This got me thinking about how laughter must have been from the beginning. It is a human expression that crosses all cultures and time-periods, and even languages. You can laugh together with anyone of any age or background, even if you can’t talk to them. Even babies laugh before they learn to talk.

Have you ever noticed, though, how we rarely laugh on our own? It is usually in interacting with others, either one-on-one or in groups that you hear people laugh. In fact if we see someone laughing and they are on their own, we usually think they are hallucinating or have a mental problem because it is so rare for us to laugh on our own. The card I bought had a photo of two girls laughing together with their arms around each other. Laughing is something we do together.

Does God laugh? Does he have a sense of humour? He created us with funny bones and diverse senses of humor, and since we are ‘in His image’, I think he must. What does he laugh about? Probably something to do with us… Or does he want to laugh WITH us? Do you think he might have had a little chuckle when he suggested Noah build the ark? Or when Daniel got thrown into the Lion’s den? Or when he gets us out of situations we think are impossible but he knew all along he had the power to overcome?

Laughing has so many health benefits too, both mental and physical. There are now “laughter groups” you can apparently join where people force themselves to laugh until a real laugh is triggered, just to get the therapeutic benefits.

So, let’s continue to meet together, and be in community, so we keep each other laughing. God made us to laugh, it’s good for us, and we can’t do it on our own!

I first heard this expression from a Buddhist – my mother, actually. Apparently it is one of the key teachings of Buddhism.. The idea is that you shouldn’t hold onto anything in this life too tightly because it is fleeting… you are not to care so much about all the temporal stuff… but you know what? At that point, they’ve got something right… Nothing on this planet and in our immediate surroundings is permanent. The weather and the seasons change. People get older day by day until they die. Money is gained and lost. Health and weight goes up and down.. What else? Can you think of anything that is permanent?

And then it hits me… the eternal grace of God. His never-ending love and forgiveness. These are permanent.

I don’t know about you, but I am going to try to focus more on these permanent (eternal) things instead of all the other impermanent things… And who knows, maybe this could even be a starting place for talking to others about God – since a lot of western society is now taking on more and more Buddhist philosophies – perhaps here is one we can agree on…

Who am I? What am I here for? Whoa!! Heady questions – a bit too deep for general conversation, I know!! Maybe we find it so uncomfortable to tackle such questions because we can’t tangibly come with answers that seem satisfying enough…

Lately, as many of you know, my world has been a little upside down (or should I say ‘down under’? Ha ha ha). Anyway, as I am still looking for work, and life is not settled, it has prompted me to do some serious soul searching. I am just glad I have had the Word of God to guide me, and I have also been reading a very good book by Neil Anderson called “Victory over the darkness”.  I have come to appreciate afresh is that my identity is firstly and most importantly as a child of God. I am (we are) a child(ren) of God. Just stop to think about that for a minute. It is too big to get your head around at first. But that’s it. There is no need for anything else. As a Child of God, I am whole, I have purpose, and life has meaning.

We can rest in that reality when all our other human, temporary hats aren’t secure: career title, role of daughter/mother/wife; ministry title, or anything that someone knows you by or gives you esteem for – looks, nationality, talents, skills, abilities – all of these are good things, and God-given, but are transient and not for our core identity.

Only our identity as a child of God is what surpasses all the other labels, is eternal, and penetrates to our souls. We were created to love and relate to God, to serve Him and bring Him honour and glory. We can do that when we pray from a hospital bed, or while doing house-hold chores. Whatever we are doing and were-ever we are, if our hearts are aligned with our identity as children of God, then everything else falls into it’s right perspective.

May we walk in the knowledge that we are dearly and intimately loved by God as His precious children!

Romans 8:16-39

1 John 3 (whole chapter)

Ephesians 5:1-2

How do we learn to be content? Once you think you’ve grasped it, even the grasping means you haven’t really got it. Does the absence of grasping means you are content? I know it has something to do with the realization that ‘the grass is not necessarily greener’ and to ‘live in the moment’ and who knows how many other clichés.. all of which indicate this is a universal search we all seem to want to find the answer to.. It’s why Buddha spent so much time meditating to try to find enlightenment, and why the share market is kept alive with so many thinking that more wealth will bring happiness. But does it? We may have different fantasies that we chase, but the underlying search for contentment is the same for all of us.

The apostle Paul said he had “learned to be content whatever the circumstances”. He says “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4: 11-13). Perhaps the key here is not the gaining of contentment through anything we can do ourselves, but rather through the strength of God. It is through learning to trust God and tap into the ever constant strength of an all-powerful God that we can come close to contentment.

Verse 14 is a good one to remember too, because it reminds us that our search for contentment is not something we do on our own. Like the rest of the Christian life, we do it in the context of community. Paul goes on to say to the Philippians church community: ..”yet it was good of you to share in my troubles..”. Let’s continue to urge one-another onto seeking the Lord as our source of contentment when so much of this life is fleeting and changing and uncertain. Let’s grasp onto His unchanging and unwavering love for us in Jesus!

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it. (1 Tim 6:6).

“Be content with what you have because God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.       (Habakukk 3:17-18)

Right now I write to you from Sydney, Australia, having been very sick (yes, again, but this time it’s the flu) for quite a few days now. I have every reason to feel sorry for myself: Sickness; Unemployment- I have been actively job searching for over 2 months and have been rejected from jobs time and time again wondering when I will finally get one, meanwhile the debt continues to increase; Singleness; Homesicknes for my Citywalk family – seeing all the Facebook photos and wishing I could be there with you all for Thanskgiving, Christmas and New Years parties….
BUT you know what? I have recently rediscovered a deap sense of hope and joy in Jesus that surpasses all of today’s circumstances.. and am truly thankful for both the past and what the future might bring.. I know both in my heart, and through the truth of Scripture, that no matter what happens, or where I am, our dear, great God, has His hand over me. He has a plan. He has a future. He is the source of my hope for He is eternally good.

It may not seem like the fig tree is budding in this life, but I know for sure it will one day when we will all be worshiping before Him in the next. Meanwhile, I live joyfully praising Him in the now. Loving Him. Loving you. Loving life.