Proverbs 17:22 (NLT)
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
Like John (the Pastor, not the Baptist), my head is slam packed with stories, most of which bring me great joy. Laughter is the mark of a healthy person. It releases chemicals which make you feel good, lower blood pressure, sink depression, and cause relaxation. And if you laugh hard enough, you even get an ab workout. So, without further ado, a humorous story from years past.
Author’s Note: some of you may recognize a name or two so you can connect faces. If not, hope it still causes you to chuckle.
This is an excerpt from a camping trip I took some youth on some years ago:
We failed to have long to recover from this ordeal when the next chapter of our saga unfolded. We had now covered about three-fourths of the trail and were at the point were it overlooks a tranquil creek. The slow moving creek, which is a tributary of the Yalobusha River, ribbons its way along the right side of the trail before disappearing into the dark woods. As we were hiking the rim of the bluff, gazing down at the still waters and muddy banks, something diverted our attention. Movement, followed by a blur.
“Did you see that?”
“Yeah.”
“What was it?”
“I don’t know, it was blurry.”
“I saw it. It was a baby bear.”
“That was no bear…it was a panther. They have those in these woods.”
“I think it was a wolverine.”
“You guys are stupid. It’s none of that stuff. But let’s go have a look.”
“Just watch from here guys and let it be.” ***Guess who said this? If you guessed the once again overly concerned, environmentally conscious youth pastor, you would be correct.***
Something rushed through the underbrush near the water. Instantly, we froze, our ears perked and our eyes feverishly scanning the area, attempting to ascertain what the mysterious blur was. Our minds and imaginations were already generating images of hideous mutated creatures that would sneak up on us and massacre us, leaving no remains to remind anyone that were out here. (I think I have read to much Frank Peretti lately.) A few seconds elapsed in utter silence before we heard the rustling again. Stricken with the rush of adventure and throwing caution to the wind, we split from the main trail and scurried down a secondary trail that tapered down the bluff and came to rest at the banks. If we were to be slaughtered, it was to be on our own terms. Besides, between all of our Swiss Army knives and Austin’s meat saw, we could hold our own. And if that failed, I knew I could outrun all of them, with the possible exception being Josh. If our offensive ended badly, maybe the demented circus monkey or whatever it was would be full before he could catch me.
Once we had maneuvered to the bank, it appeared that the movement had crossed a sliver of the creek and was now in the knee length grasses on an overgrown sand bar. Crouched covertly behind our respective trees, we kept our communication silent, using elaborate hand gestures to share the plan. Everyone pulled their knives out. Ryan whittled a makeshift spear. And I think I remember Austin finally succumbing fully to his “Rambo complex” and smearing dirt over the exposed skin of his arms and face. I stood back a step, not to run, but clearing the path for them. I would swoop down like a hero and rescue my brothers if the crap hit the fan. We quietly crawled through the brush to the edge of the water, leaped over the separated arm of the creek, and landed on the bank of the sand bar. Evidence of footprints lay splayed in the mud. Opinions varied about what creature made the tracks depending on who you ask, but they ranged from the Lochness Monster to a rabid, man eating coyote-wolf mix. To me, they looked like deer tracks. But who am I? I am no hunter, which of course means I know absolutely nothing about nature!
Anyway, the grass swished again. Movement, a blur, then…
To be continued...
Application: Learn to laugh. Write down your own funny adventures so when you have a bad day, you can always reminesce.
Nutrition Tip: Don’t eat after 7. Many people make the mistake of eating a big meal close to bedtime. Because you’re heading right to bed, you’re not able to burn any of those calories like you would going about the business of your day. Or by exercising.
Exercise Tip: Give GOD and your family the best part of your day. Then, choose exercise. I prefer mornings, because after a long day, the last thing I want to do is punish my body for an hour. Work it into your schedule while you still have some energy.
