Fri., June 29, 2018

Proverbs 17:22 – A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.

Do you know someone who has the gift of humor? A person who brings a lightness to life and encourages people to not take life too seriously? Someone who quietly (or not so quietly) can change a tense situation into a more jovial atmosphere with one simple sentence?

Hubby Rick is one of those people. His goal is to get people to smile whether they want to or not. One of his favorite lines while encouraging kids to do something they may or may not want to do is, “No smiling allowed.”

He cracks me (and everyone else in these situations) up.

I apologize for the picture. It is not the best one of Rick. I am simply seizing the opportunity to reverse the humor tables. Recently, while on a walk, one of the lenses from his $1 sunglasses popped out. Last week while on mission trip, this also happened. His response to the work crew who witnessed this? (Hear this in a deadpan voice.)

“These are my partly-cloudy sunglasses.”

It was so corny, everyone laughed. Or groaned.

This is one of his most recent “lines” that rolls off of his tongue with the same effortlessness as, “How are you today?”

When Rick is in the company of people who haven’t heard some of his favorite one-liners, watch out. They are launched indiscriminately, one right after another.

His poor work crew last week.

His lucky work crew last week. They witnessed how Rick can lighten a situation in less than 10 seconds with one of his infamous one-liners. If the first one does not achieve the desired reaction, another one will gently slip into the conversation in the not-so-distant future.

Why am I grateful for his little humor jingles? Because his disposition is so different from mine. He is oil, and I am water. He is hot, and I am cold. He is the crack-up. If saving my soul depended upon telling a good joke, I would be in a heap of trouble. Literally.

After nearly 18 years of marriage, he has almost figured out when not to interject humor in a situation that I may not find very funny. It took awhile for him to navigate this winding road. Maybe I am just more tolerant these days.

Shortly after we were married, Rick gave me a secret code. If we were in a situation where he had used humor inappropriately, I should casually pinch his elbow. He would know he had crossed a line.

How has this played out in real life? After delivering a line that could be a questionable landmine, he shares how he constantly had black-and-blue elbows the first several years of our marriage. If I make any movement towards his elbow, a loud “Ouch!” ensues before I have reached his limb.

One reason I was attracted to Rick was his ability to convey something in a completely unusual, and yet memorable, way. Most of the time, I celebrate his child-like attitude that never ages and can relate to anyone within the 2- and the 102-age bracket.

The most interesting part of this little tale? There is a 6-year-old Vielhuber who can spout back one-liners almost as quick as his Grandpa. His name is Dylan.

For humor, Hubby Rick, Dylan and all those people who have the innate ability to lighten a day with one simple spoken thought, I am grateful.

Lord God – thank you for the gift of humor. It is especially necessary for those of us who struggle with light-heartedness and take life too seriously. May we experience Your gift of humor in your kingdom daily. Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne

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