Pat Layton Pat Layton Pat Layton: Sweet Tea for Surrendered Sisters
Spitting Sweet Tea
My G-Boys left last night. My house is very quiet this morning.....and very NEAT!
We had such a fun time together. Unfortunately for him, my husband was out of town all week. We missed him but it was special for me to have them all to myself. We were on the move every day doing something fun--movies, bowling, riding the waves!! It was all COOL!
I loved every minute of having them around, other than the buzzing sensation that I got in my head when they asked me questions like the ones I told you earlier in the week--(The last one was "Why did God make mosquitoes?")

It was all good but my favorite part was the laughter!
We laughed so much together. 

I love to laugh and in the serious life that I live...fighting abortion and all....sometimes I forget how good it feels just to laugh and be silly. 

One night we watched the movie "Get Smart", we laughed so hard at that movie that we made each other laugh. You know how that works. At one point I burst out laughing and began spewing my sweet tea all over myself. The harder I laughed the harder the boys laughed.

Laughter is contagious. Everyone is out there getting "Flu" shots. Maybe this season we could pass around a bit of laughter and JOY instead of sickness and disease.

Here are some facts that I found on the Stress Management Benefits of Laughter (with my twist):

Hormones: (Heaven knows that I need some of those!!)
Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine(adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.

Physical Release: (So much more socially acceptable than tripping people in the Mall) 
Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or you will cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release.

Internal Workout: (It's a Start!)
A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart. 

I am certain that I lost 5 pounds--inside, last week. It may have been the Root Canal that I had on Wednesday (really!) but I like to think it was all the fun!

Distraction: (This one comes fairly easily to me---Where was I??)
Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.

Perspective
: (God says:"Whatever things are good...Think on those things"") 
Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive.

Social Benefits of Laughter
: (I woke up this morning with this on my mind and a friend who makes me laugh...I am going to call her today!)
Laughter connects us with others. 

Also, laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of LIFE  you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!

Stir up a bit of Laughter
:
Laughter is one of God's best stress management strategies. He has  much to say about JOY.
It's free, convenient, and beneficial in so many ways. You can get more laughter in your life with the following strategies:

T.V. and Movies: There may be a shortage of laughter opportunities from the entertainment, both at the theater and in the aisles of the video stores but they can be found!
Watching truly hilarious movies and shows is an easy way to get laughter into your life whenever you need it.

         I shared "Get Smart" with you...do you have any good ones to pass on?

Laugh With Friend
s: Going to a movie with friends is a great way to get more laughter in your life. The contagious effects of laughter may mean you'll laugh more than you otherwise would have during the show, plus you'll have jokes to reference at later times. Having friends or family over for a party or game night is also a great setup for laughter and other good feelings.

Find Humor In Your Life: Instead of complaining about life's frustrations, try to laugh about them. If something is so frustrating or depressing it's ridiculous, realize that you could 'look back on it and laugh.' Think of how it will sound as a story you could tell to your friends, and then see if you can laugh about it now. With this attitude, you may also find yourself being more lighthearted and silly, giving yourself and those around you more to laugh about. Approach life in a more mirthful way and you'll find you're less stressed about negative events, and you'll achieve the health benefits of laughter. (See this article on maintaining a sense of humor.

I loved every minute of my time with my oldest G-Boys but I think I caught something form them that I did not expect---the good feeling of laughter.

I think that I have been "infected" and will do all that I can to pass it on this Christmas season.




4 Comments:

Blogger Jennifer said...

They say "laughter is the best medicine", thank you for the reminder. Sometimes we get so caught up in the business of life we forget the small, most important stuff!
I love a good "belly" laugh!

Blessings to you!

Jennifer

Blogger Melinda said...

LOVED this! So glad you had so much fun - laughing with my family is one of my most favorite things.

Hugs,
Melinda

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Mom! I was glad to hear that laughing was good exercise. I LIVE with those dudes (who happen to take extreme exception with the tag "G-boys") and they crack me up constantly. So it's a good thing.

Guess what! We have a blog now too, and it has links to your "grandsons" blogs too. I have a little bit (read "A TON") to learn about how to set-up our blog, but I guess it's suitable for freinds and family right now, so check it out. www.foreverwherever.com

Love, Tim (or would that be G-boy Daddy ?)

Blogger Joyful said...

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful..." Proverbs 15:13.

Thanks for the wonderful reminder to laugh, especially at this time of good cheer!

Blessings to you today,
Joy

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