Our Mouths Were Filled with Laughter

Psalm 126: 1-3

A song of ascents.

 ¹ When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, 
       we were like people who dreamed. 

 ² Our mouths were filled with laughter, 
       our tongues with songs of joy. 
       Then it was said among the nations, 
       "The LORD has done great things for them."

 ³ The LORD has done great things for us, 
       and we are filled with joy.

I've been fighting a strain of some little bug lately.  Not sick enough to really change my life; just sick enough to not feel too good.  So when we were setting out to meet friends for dinner, I wondered if I really had the energy to even go.

But we went.

Watching Chris jump up and down in the Rainforest Cafe set the tone for the evening.  His joy made me laugh.

We sat down to dinner and engaged in conversation with friends.  There was serious conversation - updating each other on the struggles we were having.  But there were also moments of joy.  

As we left the restaurant after saying our good-byes, I felt a difference in my body:  I felt a little less sick, I felt my frown turned into a smile - I felt filled with joy.

How easy is it to feel this way?  These days, it isn't easy at all - at least for me.  It is easy to feel overwhelmed by life, obligations, needed energy that doesn't come.  But as a captive, for a moment, God brought me back to Zion where I could laugh and find joy again - even for just a moment.

Thank you God, for a mouth full of laughter, a heart briefly lightened and a spirit made glad.