My Fascinating and Likeable Life -- LOL with God

 It’s a good thing I’ve changed, or I would have felt guilty.

Along with my early ideas that God is lofty, I also used to think that God is serious, and therefore I shouldn’t laugh while praying.

My husband Mark and I pray three times a week together.  Very serious. Last Friday night, he had the brilliant idea to pray an “alphabet prayer.”  This is a prayer of thanksgiving, and consists of going through the alphabet and thanking God for things that start with each letter.

But Mark had already thought of the things he wanted to say and knew he was starting the prayer. I had no idea we were doing this and had to come up with things on the spot. UNFAIR!

But, OH, what fun!  At first, it started out lofty, but quickly turned:

Mark: Thank you God for our goddaughter Andrea. She is such a blessing to us.
Denise:  What? My turn! (The clock ticks) I got nuthin’.
Mark: Denise. . .
Denise: Okay, okay.  Bats. I thank God for bats.
Mark: Will you be serious?
Denise: Didn’t like that?  Okay. I thank God for beef because without it we couldn’t have had the beef tacos tonight.

Oh my, did I crack myself up.

Mark thanked God for Christ, and he thanked Him for things that were everlasting. I thanked God for dumbwaiters and fun, food, and fellowship.

Eventually, a smile broke out on his face and he was laughing with me. Tolerantly, mind you, but still laughing.  The party really got going when I thanked God for hiccama and juice. (Anyone see a food theme here?)

At the end we were both in hysterics, and we couldn’t contain ourselves when I got both letters, ex and zee.  Of course, I had to thank God for xylophones and zebras.

As tears rolled down my cheeks and neither of us could catch a breath, I realized how pleased God was to be with us in our laughter.  Why not?  He has always been there in our pain.

God made me both serious and silly. I can argue the merits of supply-side economics, and five minutes later quote movie lines from Beverly Hills Ninja (Holy shinto!).

If I am made in His image, and there is nothing wrong with either seriousness or silliness, then why can’t God have both sides to Him as well?

God and me and Mark.  We really had a good time.