Tears and Laughter!

It is sometimes the craziest things that will either make me cry or make me laugh! Today…I was putting dishes in the dishwasher and thinking to myself, “It is going to take me a long time to fill up this dishwasher by myself!” That was when I noticed there was not a single bowl in the dishwasher…and I started crying! You see, Pete used our bowls all the time…he loved cereal in the morning and often had soup for lunch or supper. So our dishwasher was usually overflowing with bowls! And there was not one bowl in there today! It made me so sad!

Later, I was cutting the grass on our riding lawn mower. A few years ago, we finally broke down and bought a riding lawn mower! Now you need to understand this…Pete was very particular about cutting the grass. He had a certain way he did it…very methodical! Same way, every time! While he would cut the grass, I would enjoy being outside with him and working in the flower beds. Now that I don’t have Pete here, the guys in our family offered to come and cut the grass but I figured I could certainly sit on the mower and cut the grass when it needed it. I have actually enjoyed doing it because it makes me feel close to Pete when I cut “his” grass! Of course, I am sure I am not cutting it at all like he did! Today I started laughing when I was almost through! I realized I was having to make a “million” u-turns to go back and get patches of grass that I kept missing when I tried to make turns around our yard! I felt like a NASCAR driver! I just knew Pete was up in Heaven saying, “Who gave her permission to cut my grass? She is not doing it right!” J I am also sure he is fussing as I pick up all his remotes and keep pushing buttons to try to make all of his electronics work! He was really a geek about gadgets (as Jerry alluded to at his Celebration Service). I used to accuse him of buying a new gadget with a new remote just so I wouldn’t know how to use them all! But I have got a plan…I will just get one of our teenage grandchildren to come over and figure it out for me! They will have it all working in about 10 minutes, I am sure! J

Tears come at the most random times! I keep telling people that one day, I hope to be able to have a conversation with people and not tear up during it! But tears are part of the healing process….and I am sure they will continue. But thank you, Lord, for laughter, too! Thank you that laughter is part of the healing process, too!

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book.” Psalm 56:8

“My soul weeps because of grief; strengthen me according to Your word.” Psalm 119:28

“Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5b