365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 95

My first thought to praise for today was on laughter. I have been so angry and frustrated because of work that it's been seeping into every aspect of my life but I am choosing to not let that happen. Surround yourself with positive things was the advise in a book I read recently that I have taken to heart. I have been in devotionals, in the bible and praying and do feel a sense of peace for a time. But what I really needed was a good laugh. So, here I was sitting on the toliet and I pulled down a Reader's Digest with the title "Oh, Cheer Up!" Okay, top 10 jokes in America is what they had for me. I can't say I would have voted for all of them but this one tickled my funny bone and helped at least again for a time let go of the anger and frustrations I have been dealing with. Here's my #1 from the top ten:
A priest, a minister and a rabbi want to see who's best at his job. So they each go into the woods, find a bear, and attempt to convert it. Later they get together. The priest begins:"When I found the bear, I read to him from the Catechism and sprinkled him with h oldy water. Next week is his First Communion." "I found a bear by the stream," sasy the minister,"and preached God's holy word. The bear was so mespermized that he let me baptize him." They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying on a gurney in a body cast. "Looking back," he says,"maybe I shouldn't have started with the circumcision." So, I was thinking of this joke when I got on my email this morning and heard that a friend from my MOPS days who attended my church unexpectedly passed away. Wow, I am still reeling from that piece of news. Her husband is an anathesiologist who did a surgery of mine way back before Faith was born and they have 3 kids the youngest at 11. That's always been one of my greatest fears; dying when my children are still young. Thankfully I know my friend is with Jesus right now and that God will bring good out of this tragedy but it's still a tough thing to even contemplate. I thought this scripture was appropriate because things can happen on a dime at any time. So today I am thankful to God for being alive so I can lavish love on my family and share another day with them. Who can you love and laugh with today?
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.