Why am I always in the pits?
This great quote came from Erma Louise Bombeck, an American humorist who achieved great popularity for her newspaper column that described suburban home life from the mid-1960’s until the late 1990s. She later went on to write 15 books many of which became bestsellers. Some of the book titles are: The Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank, Just Wait Until You have Children of Your Own, At Wit’s End, Motherhood-the Second Oldest Profession, and many more. She used satire and wit to laugh at life’s daily situations, that we all go through. Erma Bombeck was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (an incurable, untreatable genetic disease) when she was 20 years old. She survived breast cancer and mastectomy, and kept secret the fact that she had kidney disease, enduring daily dialysis. She went public with her condition in 1993. On a waiting list for transplant for years, one kidney had to be removed, and the remaining one ceased to function. On April 3, 1996, she received a kidney transplant. Erma Bombeck died on April 22, 1996, aged 69, from complications of the operation. She found humor, joy, and happiness in every situation. She said, her one regret in life was, not using her fine China every day, not wearing her good jewelry every day, and not burning all her candles. The quote from Erma Bombeck that I like the best is this one: When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.
How many of us will be able to say that we used all our talents to the glory of God? What do you choose in life, do you choose joy and happiness, or do you choose to have every sickness in the book, every pain ever catalogued, and every family problems that ever existed? Every year I choose a motto for the year, and one year the motto was: you are the author of your own happiness. No one can rob you of joy and happiness unless you are willing to give it up.
As many of you know, my house was hit by lightning a week ago. We chose to laugh about it and find it a humor situation because we could see God’s hand of protection on our house and on us. Yes I have to replace a phone or two, and yes my fax machine/printer bit the dust also. But these are simply things, and things can be replaced. Of course I will list a song here, as I think it is apropos:
THERE IS JOY IN SERVING JESUS
Oswald J Smith/Bentley D Ackley
There is joy in serving Jesus
As I journey on my way
Joy that fills my heart with praises
Every hour and every day
There is joy, joy
Joy in serving Jesus
Joy that throbs within my heart
Every moment, every hour
As I draw upon His power
There is joy, joy
Joy that never shall depart
There is joy in serving Jesus
Joy; that triumphs over pain
Fills my heart with heaven’s music
Till I join the glad refrain
Chorus
There is joy in serving Jesus
As I walk alone with God
‘Tis the joy of Christ my Saviour
Who the path of suffering trod
Chorus
There is joy in serving Jesus
Joy amid the darkest night
For I’ve learned the wondrous secret
And I’m walking in the light
Chorus
In the Disney movie, Song of the South, Briar Rabbit sings the song: Everybody’s Got a Laugh’in Place, and the song tells you, ‘to take a frown and turn it upside down, and you will find yours I know Ho, Ho’. Learn to find humor in everyday life, if not humor at least joy, and turn your frown upside down into a smile.
As parents we need to teach our children to find joy in what the Lord has provided for us each and every day. A house to live in, a car to drive, food on their table, and clothes on their back with shoes on their feet. Make them aware that these are all blessings, and not everyone in the world are blessed is much as they are. Teach them to find joy in life.
We as authors, will often interject humor to lighten otherwise serious situations. Many times our heroes and heroines use joy and humor to get them through long arduous times. It is my hope that we all choose to live with the joy we have in Christ, in our daily lives.
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalms 118:24
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Psalms 16:9
And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:22-24
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Romans 12:12
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 14:17
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13
Rejoice evermore.
I Thessalonians 5:16