That's Gotta Hurt!

This photo came up on our timeline a couple of days ago, and many have commented about it. It doesn't take much for my daughter and I to find something hilarious in the midst of a routine day. We posed for this photo at a Pumpkin Patch and of course Staci would caption it "Hmm....that's gotta hurt!" LOL! Good news, it's just a straw scarecrow so it's really not hurting, but what about us? Have you said those words "It hurts so much." Maybe we were actually hurting physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually or some other way. We can share our sad or painfuly story and someone just might say, "That's gotta hurt".

But what if those "gotta hurt" times are part of the Master Plan -- just the "set up" for the "punch line" that is on its way in our lives? I loved hearing Michael Jr. (a Christian comedian who, is hailed as one of today’s most gifted comedians) tell about his "hurting" to living-life-large story. . Michael Jr. got his start when George Wallace took him to the legendary Comedy & Magic Club. The club is the home of Jay Leno and “The Tonight Show” staff. The club’s owner slipped the unknown comic, Michael Jr., onstage to perform. A week later, he was performing at the “Just for Laughs” comedy festival in Montreal where he became the first comedian to ever appear live via satellite on “The Tonight Show.” That performance catapulted Michael’s career. He explained that for years he'd been practicing for this moment. Then one day.....he was ready for the BIG TIME.

He explained that as a kid, he and his friend made a pact to help each other stop cursing. They would punch each other in the chest as hard as they could if they heard each other cursing. "THAT'S GOTTA' HURT!" That made him stop cursing because it hurt too much. And way back then....he was already practicing the "set up" for his "clean" comedy act that would open doors in his future.

He went on to talk about "the things from our past" -- some of those hurtful things -- the bad relationship, dysfunctional family, the divorce, the illness, the loss of a loved one -- are those very things that God uses to catapult us. So we practice and practice and then it's GAME TIME! Our gift will make room for us. A comedian sets up his story or joke, and then a shift happens that goes the opposite direction and that's when the punch line happens. That punch line MAKES the joke. It makes everything make sense. The "That's Gotta' Hurt" times, as well as "Atta Boy!" times -- God uses it all for good......"the punch line".

God is working in our lives. There's some incredible set-ups coming. We must keep practicing right where we are. Practice makes perfect. When that door opens, we'll be able to walk right into the destiny and purpose God planned for us all along.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Cry Babies Gotta' Cry

Yesterday, I heard a man telling about how easy it is for him to cry these days -- over the birth of a baby, the great love he has for his wife, a touching movie, and the love He has for God and His tender mercies. He said he could cry at the "drop of a hat". He called himself "emotionally incontinent"! LOL!

I felt pretty strong that I could hold it together at my grandson's wedding a couple of weeks ago, UNTIL, I saw his lips quivering in efforts to hold back his tears when he saw his beautiful bride coming down the aisle. I cried when I witnessed the deep passion and love he has for her. I'll admit it, I love it when I see a strong, manly guy, have such tender emotions that he is unafraid to shed some tears.

The Gospel writers didn't feel that tears were a threat to either the manhood or Godhood of Christ when they recorded that “Jesus wept.”

It seems the longer I live, the easier it is for me to tear up -- not to mention weddings, birthday parties, my grandkids accomplishments, my godson's hugs and kisses, viral videos about children and animals being rescued, or the baby announcement to the soon-to-be grandparents. Of late, those tears have a lot to do with my soon-to-say "good-bye" to friends and family as I make my move to Texas.

But, what makes me tear up and be "emotionally incontinent" the most, is when I watch someone who has had a miserable life of mental and physical abuse and their existence was hell-on-earth OR someone who WAS the abuser, the thief, the alcoholic, the liar, the cheat, the selfish -- but then GRACE encountered them face-to-face in the Person of Jesus Christ. Their OLD became NEW, their messes became their message, their heartbreaks became their story, their tests became their testimony, their sadness was turned to gladness and their mourning became joy. I'll take those tears and I'll be emotionally incontinent anyday because there are just some tears that can't help but flow in gratitude to our God of mercy and grace!

And if tears are great for the soul -- here's some bonus benefits for the body:
~ Crying Relieves Stress
~ Crying Lowers Blood Pressure
~ Tears Remove Toxins
~ Tears Reduces Manganese

So, the next time we feel those tears welling up, let's just go ahead and be "emotionally incontinent" and let the tears flow!!!