It is always an interesting discussion around the ESL table. They were bemoaning the fact that what American's think is funny isn't to the Asian students. "It is a smile code" one student said. A smile code...a certain understanding that one culture speaks to the other. A code of humor, an understanding between us, what makes us smile. Do you have any idea how important it is to smile, laugh and generally add humor to the day of another? I love to laugh but then I have never met anyone from any culture that does not love to laugh. That full on belly laugh that makes tears flow down your face and for those of us who have had children...wetting your pants.
We kind of all have a smile code..that one thing that gets you giggling. Word play and word mistakes make me giggle. Nick when he isn't trying, makes me laugh. Slap stick on the other hand aka The Three Stooges...makes me cringe.
We make the word joy too holy and separate. Joy is often expressed as the grinning and bearing it through the pain but I think joy, that joy that God wants us to experience is the smile code from heaven. I don't think there is much giggling on the enemy's side of things...but even in this broken world and unspeakable pain that surrounds...joy can bubble. It is a most excellent gift, that gift of fresh and unspoiled humor. I wonder what made Jesus laugh? What was His smile code? I know he did because we do and we should much more often, I know I need to.
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Some of the most godly men in my life have had excellent senses of humor. Pastor Walter Boldt comes to mind - he has the heartiest laugh - and loves a good joke. Now I'm wondering if he used humour when he married your Dad to Elf - I can't remember but I suspect so.
I recall he was too nervous to be humorous at Al's & my wedding -- he hadn't had a full rehearsal in the church we got married and it somehow affected his sense of "everything under control". Somehow I didn't really care - I was marrying my best friend and what happened in the process wasn't important enough to get in a knot about.I'm sure that once the ceremony was over and his part was done, he was back on top of his humour game again. :-D ~ lew
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