Luke 6: 20 – 21: Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. (New Revised Standard Version)
“. . . the original painting of the ‘Laughing Jesus’ was done by Willis Wheatley, who was then working for the United Church head office in Toronto. . . . . And it was originally called “Jesus Christ, Liberator,” not “Laughing Jesus” or “Laughing Christ.” (Read the article in the Vancouver Sun)
We are living in a historical time, and most of us would rather not be part of this history. It isn’t easy to be unable to visit the loved ones who don’t live in your home It isn’t easy to be home 24/7 except for the trip for groceries or the daily walk. The hand-washing is relentless, and now it has been suggested that wearing face masks ever time we go out (homemade ones are o.k.) is a good idea.
Instructions for making a face mask.
Along with the difficult news flooding the media, social media is banding together calling out greed, posting good news stories, and relieving the stress with indomitable humour.
One person noted that her homeschooling was going “o.k.”: “Two students were suspended for fighting and the teacher was fired for drinking on the job.”
Another reminisced that time this reminded him of his teens: “The price of gas is low, he is grounded.”
My own dilemna comes from what I call my COVID-19 hair. The good news is that maybe, for the first time in my adult life I will be able to suffer through this awkward stage and actually let my hair grow long (though I am now sure why I would want to. I wasn’t quite that bad last week, but almost. I hammed it up to have a laugh and noted the resemble to another person with chronic bad hair.
Here are a few of my favourites from this week:
When you spend all your time at home anyway but now the government says you have to. ~ @babyyyodaa
Give to us laughter, O Source of our life. Laughter can banish so much of our strife. Laughter and love give us wholeness and health. Laughter and love are the coin of true wealth. "Give to Us Laughter", in Voices United, #624 Words:Walter Farquharson 1974, Music: Ron Klusmeier 1974,1995
Bewildering Winds 