A Time to Weep and a Time to Laugh

It was Solomon who said “there is a time to weep, and there is a time to laugh” (Eccl. 3:14).

In reflection, over the last 92 days there has been more time of weeping than laughing and that’s ok. Some seasons usher in more tears than others. The time where your daughter fights for her life and recovers from a birth defect is a season of weeping. The time where someone in your community gets diagnosed with cancer is a season of weeping. The time where you lose a spouse, a child, or a loved one is a season of weeping.  It can be said of our tears that God designed them, we share them with our Savior (Heb. 5:7, John 11:35) and that one day we’re promised that they will be no more (Rev. 21:4).

God is sovereign and compassionate over our tears and weeping. 

However, in God’s beautiful design, He also gave us the gift of laughter.

The Gift of Laughter in Suffering

In Proverbs 15:13 it states, “A glad heart makes a cheerful face” and Proverbs 17:22 says that, “A joyful heart is good medicine”. Over the course of my life, a glad and joyful heart have often been the byproduct of humor and laughter. Time and time again, laughter has been medicinal balm for my hurting and wounded soul.

The great American philosopher, Bill Cosby, yes THE Bill Cosby, has some great thoughts on humor and laughter in the midst of trials and suffering.

Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.

I have found this statement to be resoundingly true. Watching Davy fight for her life has been one of the worst blows that life has delivered me, but through humor and laughter with our community, family, doctors, and nurses it has been “softened” in a sense. Laughter has reminded me of my humanity and shown me that this trial, like many in the past and the ones to come, can be survived.

Laughter and Heaven

I think one of the most beautiful promises in the Scripture is that there will be laughter in heaven. In Luke 6:21 Jesus says, “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh”. Read that last part again. You WILL laugh. It’s not just speculation. It’s a statement of fact. You WILL laugh!

Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, discusses the concept of laughter in the after life. He says, “And if we can laugh hard now—in a world full of poverty, disease, and disasters—then surely what awaits us in Heaven is far greater laughter.” Reflect on that for a moment. If we can laugh in the present – a world full of brokenness, hurt, and pain – then how robust and sonorous will our laughter be in Heaven? More than you can imagine or dream. Humor and laughter originated from God and will find its perfect culmination in our overflowing joy in the presence of Jesus in the New Heavens and New Earth.

No matter what season you are in – one of laughing or weeping – know that there is a promise that one day only one of those actions will exist . On that day, God will wipe every tear from your eye, glorify your body, put joy in your soul and laughter on your tongue.

Then you will laugh.

Davy Updates & Prayer Requests

Davy is doing so well. These past few weeks have been her best weeks to date! We got to experience our first Halloween together as well. Check out the photos!

(Davy was bat girl! A big thanks to Dustin & Whit for the costume!)

(Chelsea was our rock star doctor – Dr. Herrman!)

• Lungs – Pray that Davy’s lung would continue to grow stronger where she won’t have to be reintubated. We’d love for her to continue to need less and less oxygen support because her lungs are growing strong!
• Full PDA closure – Like I wrote in the last update. God performed a miracle and started the process of closing Davy’s PDA naturally, which is amazing. Yet, we need it to fully close so that there won’t be any procedures in the future.
• GI Tract – Pray that Davy’s GI Tract would start to function properly. One of the biggest challenges that Davy is facing is that her stomach isn’t working properly, which makes eating and processing the food difficult for her. Continue to ask God for total healing of her stomach!