Craig and I were on long a road trip when we decided to visit the rest stop just ahead. He pulled into a parking space next to the sidewalk, and we groaned a bit as we climbed out of the car, stretching stiff limbs. Almost simultaneously, we glanced towards the building, noting where the restrooms were. And then we looked directly at each other. Narrowed eyes signaled the dare, and we each grinned, mischievously. The unspoken challenge of competition rippled through the air between us: Who had chosen the shortest path to the bathrooms? Craig turned right. I went left. The race was on! Another inane game we play could be called “hair cut too late.” Years ago I’d been to a salon for a haircut, and was a bit insulted later when Craig didn’t even notice. That started a competition for who would be first to make note that the other had gotten a haircut. If Craig gets a trim, I try to win by saying “hair cut” before he utters “hair cut too late!” (And vice versa if I get a haircut.) That morphed to saying the words over the phone to now, texting—long before we see each other. And quite possibly, before the other even enters the salon! (“Fair” is a subjective word in our household!) But some of my favorite games are the ones that remain…unacknowledged. For instance, when Craig’s soap dispenser in our master bath gets low, he doesn’t refill it himself or ask me to refill it for him. Instead, he switches out his dispenser with mine. The dead give-away? When I go to pump some soap, of course, and find it sputtering and blowing small bubbles rather than a nice glob of soap. But the “who me? what?” supposedly innocent look on Craig’s face is the dead giveaway every single time. He would be lousy at professional poker. You’re probably wondering, “What on earth is the point of all these mindless games?”To intentionally add fun to our lives. We all have way too many stress-filled days—along with those dedicated to mental and/or physical work, heavy emotional commitments and the “must-do’s” which provide absolutely no pleasure in their requirements and demands (except for finishing when we check them done!). Therefore, in all that stuff, why not pro-actively inject fun? Shared, genuine laughter is good for our physical health and the health of our marriage. As for Craig’s little trick with the soap dispenser? Rest assured that I have a great “got you back!” presently in the works. A couple years ago Craig pitched an empty toilet paper tube into my sink in our master bath—just to be contrary. Of course I had to respond by putting a couple in his sink….and then the game was on. I’ve hidden tubes in his pillowcase (one time he slept all night with three in there!), in his shoes, in pockets of his clothes, in a suitcase he was packing to take on a solo trip. And I’ve found some in my jeans’ pocket (not discovered until I was at the store), dresser drawers, and this spring when I pulled a quilt out of the closet shelf, I discovered about a dozen tucked way in the back—which made me laugh out loud! I’ll not be bested, however. One of these days Craig’s going to open his exercise duffle bag in the back of his car and discover somewhere around fifty plus toilet paper tubes. Ahhhh….revenge can be sweet! |
| Connecting More Deeply With my God: A reminder to us all: God created laughter. Doesn’t mean we see life as meaningless or we don’t take our roles as his ambassadors very seriously. But there is a time for laughter and fun, and we need those breaks as a couple, as a family. Give your children the gift of laughter and they’ll thank you for those memories the rest of their lives. With my spouse: Did you and your spouse play any games during your dating and/or newlywed years? What were they? How did they reflect your individual personalities—and the couple that you would become? Ask yourselves: When and why did we stop playing those games? Do we want to revive any of them, especially on an anniversary? Or do we want to invent new ones? Do we agree that pro-actively putting more possibilities for laughter in our home is worthwhile? What other benefits could these games possibly provide? With my community: Organizations benefit from laughter too: church bodies, small groups, staff, administrations, any group that’s just been through a stress-filled period. When Craig was president at Denver Seminary, the administration and staff constructed miniature golf holes at each of their main offices—with a prize for the most creative. They all played the seminary’s original version of miniature golf, and needless to say, laughed their way through every ingenious hole! Talk about a stress reliever! |
| From the Grab Bag A group of 4- to 8-year-olds when asked, “What does love mean?” “Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.” – Chris, 7 “When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” – Billy, 4 |