“If God is watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining.”
October 5, 2010
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| Ladies Campfire Meeting Clearfork Valley Baptist Church Clearfork, WV |
What a profound statement, although I would change the first word “If” to “Since” because He is watching us. Maybe the world would look at this statement as funny or even a little blasphemous; but I saw good in it and what made it easy is that I love the person that shared it with all my heart. I so appreciated this statement and pray that I am entertaining to my Lord. Most entertainment makes me laugh, and I know God laughs at me. Revelation 4:11 says: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. We are all created for HIS pleasure. I can be pretty goofy sometimes, and I can almost see Him bow His head, shake it a little, and say, “Can you believe she did that?” or “Bless my child, can you believe she said that?” Yes, I do think God has an amazing sense of humor. Look at us, some of us are just plum funny to look at and we become entertaining.
I entertain folks with the words I sometimes let slip out. My grandchildren catch me more, but Grandma is a big joke because I make up words. I don’t know why it is so funny; they are good, practical words (not in the dictionary as we know it), but still good, practical words. But my daughter Lita’s boys, Jacob and Jared, or my granddaughters Aislinn and Avery will catch me every time. It makes them laugh. And, listen, the big family joke is how many times I will leave my daughter Jennifer’s house, and remember as I open the car door or get half way down the road that I left; my cell phone, my purse, my bag or something, making not just one trip back in the house, but sometimes two or three. Usually by that time, one of the girls, Jordyn, Sydney, or Eryn will be waiting outside for that thing I forgot, just to save me time running back and forth! By the time I “really leave”, they are laughing at me and shaking their heads; I’m glad I can make them laugh. I believe that is how God looks at his children. How boring for God if we were all the same and never brought joy or laughter to the world, in some way! I think last night was a great night of entertainment for our Lord. I like to think He was “entertained”. Indulge me, if you will, and let me tell you about it.
My husband, Tom Milam, and I were at Clearfork Baptist Church in Clearfork WV Sunday morning September 26th, our daughter Nina’s home church, where Tom preached for the “Homecoming Anniversary” service. While there the ladies invited me to a Campfire Ladies Meeting. I had never heard of such a thing or been to such a thing but I eagerly accepted the invitation, looking forward to a special “Ladies” meeting held around a campfire. (By the way, I am so blessed to be accepted so sweetly, lovingly, and with great joy by a group of people as these people at Clearfork. I appreciate them so much and can’t tell them enough how special they have grown to me. What a blessing.) Anyway, let me say I knew I was in for a “wild” night out with the ladies (not my normal ladies meeting) when Nina said, “Now, we are going to be there a little longer than most of the ladies, ‘cause after they leave, we have to make sure the fire is out and the church is all cleaned up." And sure enough we were there a good while waiting for the fire to go out! For those ladies who left a little early, you should have stayed. The remainder got more tired as the time went by and even sillier, if that is possible!
Uh! Oh! I told my husband later, sounds like a bunch of women sitting around gossiping. It was NEVER further from the truth. The laughter started with Nina and I as we started down the road together and it didn’t stop until I laid my head down last night, and honestly, every time I think today of something that happened, I laugh some more.
Nina and I started laughing when we talked about how we ran out on her dad as the phone rang, knowing it was for me, and we left him to handle the call! I didn’t even stop to give him a kiss goodbye, we were so anxious to get away. All the way to the church we chatted and shared how the day went for both of us, again, laughing over instances that happened to both of us and looking so forward to the meeting. She told me the old Billy goat that had bit her the other day, quite surprised her as she was making her bed that morning, glancing out the window and seeing his mean old eyes staring at her from outside! Waiting for another bite we laughed!
As we approached the church she shared with me how the meeting traditionally would go, the food that would be served, she knew I would have a good time. Well, that made us laugh. Folks may say that is silly, and it is, but I didn’t have to pretend to have fun. I had a blast. I laughed so hard and over some of the silliest things. From the wonderful devotion the Preachers wife, Sister Martha Gregory gave on laughter, joy – and the ability to share that with others to Cheri fussing at Nina over the silliest things like lighting a fire to comparing how much their husbands are alike; and then realizing they would have a long life together as Cheri’s son Andy will marry Nina’s daughter Kandi. They laughed talking of grandchildren and how when they came it would be Nina’s job to care for them, when needed, and Cheri’s to spoil them, and NOT raise them. I listened as the group teased Theresa who meticulously keeps minutes not just for her office but everyone else’s as well. (And they know she does it, so she ended up giving everyone’s report from the last meeting, and she loves doing it.) Quite dependable and good, but she made us laugh over her desire to have “organization” in not just her life but everyone else’s. I told Nina, she would die if she saw either of my offices, which Nina agreed and that made us laugh.
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| Martha Gregory, center, giving a devotion with Theresa faithfully writing down the minutes! What a great night we had. |
As Sister Martha shared one of her verses, and there were several, she told us that she came up with her devotion thinking of me. She spoke of how she never sees me without a smile and she quoted one of her verses, Proverbs 17:22 “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:. . .”, and then she asked me about my health knowing I was having tests done, and yet I’m still smiling. Obviously the old saying; people are always watching you, was reminded to me last night with her statement! I’m glad she thinks I smile all the time (I truly don’t always smile, just ask my sweet, patient husband.) She focused on laughing at your own self. She shared several stories about her “chin plucking”, “losing her slip in a public place”, (I thought that had only happened to me!) And the morning in church when no one but herself and Anita knew what was really funny, but interrupted the service by laughing uncontrollably about a “chewing gum” incident. Because of their laughter, the whole church ended up laughing (except her Preacher husband which made it funnier). The thing was that the church folk had no clue why they were laughing. Infectious laughter is the best medicine! There were more incidences shared and laughed over; a great start to the meeting; laughing.
She talked about how laughter is a form of exercise, increasing lung capacity, exercising face muscles etc. I shared with the ladies, how my dear friend Amy told me that when we laugh we burn at least 40 calories – oh wow! You should have heard them laugh then! We ate hotdogs grilled on a stick over the fire along with the wonderful chili and slaw brought to “dress” them up. The ladies laughed at me when I put my slaw on the side and because there weren’t any utensils, I ate it with potato chips! We roasted marshmallows and “smore” ingredients were provided. The more sugar was eaten, the harder everyone laughed. You want to get a high folks? Be in that type of environment, with ladies such as these, and eat sugar! Works like a top!
And then we sang! Not just “camp fire” songs, but songs from our child hood like, “Alice Where Are You Going”, “I Am A Nut”, “I’ve Got The Joy”, “Potato Chip, Potato Chip”, “I am a ‘C’”, and many more. They just added fuel to fire of laughter. After a while, as Nina had told me, several of the ladies left and we were left with a small circle of women to finish the night out. We couldn’t leave till the fire burned down, so we all settled down till it would be just a pile of embers that could be easily "drowned". There we were, this small circle of ladies and a couple of children. And then it started; I heard someone share a story; then another and another. Each one funnier than the last one! My grandchildren would have had a great time at this campfire fellowship! The fire, food, and laughter were all part of making a beautiful memory and I thought of them as we continued our “path of laughter”. I took a video and snapped pictures to insure the moments were not lost.
During all this time, was the Lord Himself watching! I guarantee it! He says in: Genesis 31:49 “. . . The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.” Not only does He “watch” us when we are close to Him, but He watches us when we are away from Him. Do I make Him laugh or do I make Him unhappy? That is a question only I can answer. Either way, I know He watches me and is there for me any time I call.
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