The Lightness of Laughter

"Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
   and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
   ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ Psalm 126:2  NRSV


Over the past several weeks, I've had something happen that hasn't happened for a while--- laughter.  I've had several laugh-so-hard-that-tears-come-out-and-you-can't-help-but-snort  experiences...and it felt great!  

One thing I've observed in my life with long term illness is that my sense of humor has also been affected.  For a while with the relapse of symptoms, I've not laughed as much as I used to, and humor has been conspicuously absent. There is much about what we face in this wilderness that is not funny at all.  And yet at the same time when the gift of laughter breaks into our experience it lightens our load, quickens our step, and even can ease the pain some.

I'm a huge believer in the healing power of laughter, so when I discovered that it had been gone for a time in my life, I was surprised to say the least. Since that discovery, I've found that I'm embracing more things that make me laugh, and oddly enough, having more people send me funny things.

So today, I'd like to share a couple of them with you-  you may or may not find them funny.  Either way, I pray that some laughter can break into where you are today and bring you the grace of this amazing gift from God. 




...a song you might recognize...maybe :-)








.....from an email my mother sent me...enjoy!

Kulula is a low-cost South-African airline that doesn't take itself too seriously. Read about their Customer Relations below.

WHAT A PITY KULULA DOESN'T FLY INTERNATIONALLY - WE SHOULD SUPPORT THEM IF ONLY FOR THEIR HUMOR - SO TYPICALLY SOUTH AFRICAN.

Kulula is an Airline with head office situated in Johannesburg. Kulula airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:

On a Kulula flight, (there is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"

---o0o---

On another flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."

----o0o---

On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings.. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."

----o0o---

"There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane."

---o0o---

"Thank you for flying Kulula. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."

---o0o--

After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in the Karoo , a flight attendant on a flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as heck everything has shifted."

---o0o---

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."

---o0o---

Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Kulula Airlines."

----o0o---

"Your seats cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."

---o0o---
"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.."

---o0o---

And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Kulula Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"

---o0o—

Overheard on a Kulula flight into Cape Town , on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain really had to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to The Mother City. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"

---o0o—

Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."

---o0o—

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline. He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment.
Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane.She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Why, no Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?"The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"

---o0o—
Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today.. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of Kulula Airways."

---o0o—

Heard on a Kulula flight. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing.. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."

....and some exerpts from  You Said WHAT to Your Kid? (installment #5)

by Dan Pearce, author of the wonderful blog 
 Single Dad Laughing 

www.danoah.com

 

 

.....some things parents can't believe they had to say...

• Stop brushing your hair with the toilet brush.
• We don't dance while we're eating pickles.
• Cat's have whiskers for a reason. Please don't cut them off.
• It's wrong to give mommy a wedge.
• Put that squirrel down! Where did you get that?!
• Honey, we don't choke our cousin.
• Keep it up and you won't get to read tonight!
• Yes, we have to wear pants while guests are over.
• Don't pick your nose with your toes.
• If you eat your booger again, it's going to be all you get for snack!
• Why are you chewing on the dog?
• You're pushing my buttons and you have NO IDEA where my off switch is!
• Toilets are not for licking.
• If you don't put your gloves on and your hands freeze and fall off, I am not helping you pick them up!
• Toilets aren't the best things to kiss, honey!
• Stop waving that piece of dog poop around.
• Stop feeding the dog your boogers.
• Why are you inside the filing cabinet?
• Don't blow your nose in your banana peel.
• Stop standing on your brother's head!
• Well if you wouldn't have shoved macaroni up your nose we wouldn't be in this situation.
• don't throw cheerios down the heat register.
• If you crack your skull i'm not buying you a new one!
• Get your head out of your books and come play the Wii with the family!
• You really need to stop eating your toenails.
• Not even Superman could save you from this mess.
• You really turned the dryer on with your sister inside?
• The only way to get rid of the poop between your teeth is to go brush. And floss. And throw away the toothbrush.
• Stop buttering your brother!