Many years ago I decided to help around the house by cleaning the inside of our old oven. I grabbed a pair of gloves, a steel wool Brillo pad, a bowl with water, turned the light on inside the oven so I could see but then took the bulb out so it would not explode if any of the water hit the hot glass, and went to task. Scrubbing hard and without thinking I stuck the steel wool Brillo pad in the hole where the bulb used to be and… you know what’s coming… I got the shock of a lifetime, tingles and everything! I jumped back a few feet and sat there numb. My hair was standing like a porcupine and it never returned to its original form.

I hope that true story made you grin. Smiling, that upward turn of the mouth and eyebrows, along with the natural relaxation of the earlobes in lighthearted moments, is critically important if we want to survive Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. The wise king wrote,

“Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.” Proverbs 17:22, GNT

The hectic pace of the holidays make it essential for us to be on the lookout for those precious moments that make life more than just bearable. SNAP OUT OF IT and celebrate life this Thanksgiving and Christmas! Continue reading →