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On Being Ridiculous

When my kids were younger we used to have the best time just being silly. I’d host marshmallow roasting sessions by our backyard firepit and turn up the music and we’d just dance and laugh and allow ourselves to be super ridiculous and silly!


Multi-colored shadows of people dancing

Sometimes we’d be really corny and I’d say “Let your freak flag fly” and we’d rock out to some crazy dance tune like “Cupid Shuffle” by the artist known as Cupid or “Walk Like an Egyptian” by the Bangles. 


At Christmastime we’d wear silly pajamas called onesies which were more like costumes with a zipper! We’d put on Christmas music and sing and dance as we decorated the tree and stuffed our mouths with sugar cookies while washing it all down with lukewarm hot cocoa consisting of mostly whipped cream, covered with way too many sprinkles. 


As my son grew older and was in Junior High - we’d take it up a notch and rock out to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. 


I remember we were walking on the beach together when he was going into eighth grade and I started skipping and he said, “Mom, STOP, you’re embarrassing me!” I replied, “We’re out on a beach - far from any crowd - no one is looking at us and if they are no one is caring! Let’s skip rocks!” He agreed and we broke out into peals of laughter as we skipped rocks and stopped caring what someone might think. There was no one in front of us - the beach was practically empty - it was safe and it was fun!


Our pastor did a sermon on why it was important to to allow ourselves time in our schedules to have some fun or PLAY -  whether that “fun” meant - going on a walk on the beach, having friends over, playing video games, baking some gooey brownies, gardening, reading a lighthearted book, playing sports or simply listening to music and dancing.


Having fun and experiencing “Play” is actually a human need and our brains crave the downtime from the seriousness of life. She mentioned how psychologists have studied people who never were allowed to have fun during their childhoods and how it detrimentally impacted their cognitive and emotional development. Some had disastrous and drastic outcomes in life as a result.


Many, whom I’ve counseled, have admitted that for one reason or another they stopped laughing and enjoying life; they stopped making room in their schedules for PLAY. When we drill down and go deeper there’s usually a particular memory in their past where they stopped enjoying life or having fun - maybe it was due to a loss or death of a loved one who they used to enjoy being silly or goofy with. 


One woman admitted it was due to the loss of her father. He had passed away. He was the one person she could really laugh with and they would ride together in his car and cruise around with the windows rolled down. As they blared the music, they would sing out loud and just laugh! She missed that and when he passed away, her desire for having fun was diminished, because having fun reminded her of him and the pain was too unbearable to face.


As we worked together in the session, she felt that Jesus wanted to be her new buddy and He wanted to ride around in her car and sing with her! We call this version of Jesus -  “Silly Jesus.” Jesus does like to have fun with people. In fact, God created FUN and He created laughter.


Jesus created dance, song, skipping (as He created bodies and created them to be able to skip), and He created rocks - shaping some just perfect for us to skip across the waves! He created mountains for us to climb and oceans for us to surf. He created snowy hills for us to ski and fish for us to go after with a fishing pole. He is the creator of fun and epitome of fun! 


I love to take a walk on the beach with Jesus. I feel Him right beside me, speaking through the sound of crashing waves, through the sound of the seagulls squawking from above, or through the sound of the conch shells as one listens intently.


Matthew 19:14 (ISV) encourages us to be like children in our faith. It says, “Jesus, however, said, “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom from heaven belongs to people like these.”


Matthew 18:4 says, “Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom from heaven.”


For the line of clothing called “Childlike Faith” it’s meant to be a reminder to us and to others -  having an innocence, being silly, acting goofy, and enjoying life by having fun is of the utmost importance! It’s not a luxury, it’s not to be taken lightly. It’s actually needed for optimal spiritual and mental health. 


Proverbs 17:22 reminds us that a Joyful heart is good medicine and some translations say that it can be translated as “Laughter” is good medicine!


Studies have shown that laughter can help bring healing to our physical bodies. Here’s a study as mentioned by the Mayo Clinic, a top hospital (Link). It can improve our immune system, relieve stress, stimulate our organs, soothe tension, etc!


Children are living models of what we are supposed to be like as adults. They love having fun and playing. They don’t care who is watching - they will run, laugh, scream, shout, jump, skip, slide, hop scotch, and swing on anything and everything! It comes so naturally to them. 


Jesus says, “Trust Me.” Do you hear Him whispering to YOU . . “Do you trust me daughter, do you trust me son?”


It says in Matthew 6:25 (NIV),  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”


It’s time to bring yourself back to that time of Childlike Innocence and Childlike Faith! It’s time to trust and it’s time to let go and let God!


We hope that you’ll enjoy this line of clothing and as you wear it - it will remind you to carve out some time in your day to laugh, dance, skip, sing, or just simply be . . . 


SILLY


Ethnically diverse group of teenagers laughing



References:

Dr. Laurie Santos speaks more about the importance of having fun and goes into more specifics and detail about the scientific aspects and outcomes in her podcast, “The Happiness Lab, S6, E. 24, Aired on 8/6/2023.


“Lighten Up! According to Science It’s Good for You” by Julie Scharper, published by John Hopkins University.


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