Contact Me

If you enjoy my blog and would like to contact me, you may reach me at this email: dena.netherton@gmail.com

Some of my stories are published in:
A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers and Daughters (Adams Media, 2009)
Chicken Soup: What I Learned from the Dog (2009)
Love is a Flame (Bethany House, 2010)
Extraordinary answers to Prayer (Guideposts, 2010)
Love is a Verb (Bethany House, 2011)
Big Dreams from Small Spaces (Group Publishing, 2012)

Thursday, December 8, 2011

7 Reasons to Ha-ha-ha-ho-ho-hee-hee

I love to laugh. Who doesn't?
But sometimes, when things get hectic and stressful, we forget to laugh.
Scientists have been studying laughter for a long time, trying to figure out why humans --only humans --laugh.
Think about laughter. Why does it feel so good?

I've read studies that claim that laughing is good for you. (I guess no one would argue with that)
Laughing:
  1. gets your heart rate up, like a good jog
  2. increases circulation to the muscles and organs in your torso
  3. gives your lungs a good work-out
  4. aids in digestion
  5. makes your face glow
  6. decreases stress hormones
  7. and some claim that laughter raises your immunity to infection and can even treat disease.

So, if work or school or shopping or commuting or relationships or preparations for Christmas are making you feel a bit on edge, take a break.
Go sledding with friends,
play a silly board game,
gather others and sing silly songs.
Grab friends or family, pop in a funny movie and prepare to ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.
(I love old Laurel and Hardy movies, or America's Cutest Pets, or re-runs of Candid Camera.)

Remember Mary Poppins? Remember the scene where she and the children go to visit Uncle Albert?
Every time Uncle Albert laughs --which is often--his body begins to float upward toward the ceiling.
Uncle Albert:
"I love to laugh. . . ha-ha-ha ha
loud and long and clear.
I love to laugh. . . ha-ha-ha-ha
so ev'rybody can hear.
The more I laugh. . . ha-ha-ha-ha
the more I fill with glee
and the more the glee. . . ha-ha-ha
the more I'm a merrier me!"

And if that's not enough to convince you to take some time to laugh each day, God reminds us in Proverbs:
"A happy heart makes the face cheerful
but heartache crushes the spirit." (Prov. 15:13

"A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (Prov.17:22 NIV Bible)

What do you do to make yourself laugh? I'd love some more ideas. HAVE A MERRY DAY!





8 comments:

  1. Just the other day I read that fake laughing has the same benefits. So I've been belly laughing every day, even when I have to fake it.
    I love laughing, but find it harder to come by than when I was younger. I've been praying for God to restore my laughter. :)

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  2. "Fake laughter"? I'm gonna have to try that,too. Thanks, Kay.

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  3. Being the wacky person that I am, laughter comes easily most days. When I really get in a pinch, I watch "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Gets me laughing every time.

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  4. Nancy, I laugh just thinking about that movie. It's one of my favorites, too.

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  5. A friend of mine had ovarian cancer. After she announced she was completely healed, we asked her what she did. She said she wished she could say something super spiritual, but she watched funny movies non-stop.

    Laughter had a healing effect on her body. Eight years later, she's still well.

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  6. Susan, that is amazing. I'm going to continue to spread the news about God's natural healer: laughter.

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  7. Trying to explain The Tim Tebow phenomenon to people who haven't a clue makes me laugh. God Bless!

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  8. That's a good one, Clark. I'm glad you can laugh, rather than get frustrated!

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