The human race has only one effective weapon ... laughter!

This is Teddy.  He's a Yorkie and belongs to my granddaughter, Brooke. 

If you look closely, you will see a small yellow, plastic ball in his food dish.  Teddy puts it there while he eats.  This is his very ... most ... favorite toy.    If I sit or stand in one place longer than a second, here comes Teddy ... and his ball.  He drops it at your feet, backs up, looks at you ... and waits.   He expects you to throw the ball, thereby giving him the thrill of his little life as he scrambles with all fours sliding on the floor - chasing the ball ...  so that ... he can bring it back to you and play the game all over again! 

He knows in his heart that you have nothing else to do but play with him!

We don't take time to play as we should.

Play has been recognized as important since the time of Plato (429-347 B.C.) who observed, “you can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." 

Why play? Because:  Freedom and spontaneity are accepted as our natural state. In this state we can allow our imagination and creativity to flourish.

There is an element of freedom in each of us that we have not yet tapped.  God created us to live free and happy.  Given the right setting, the opportunity, and even permission, I believe we would discover a joy within us which is yet to come. 

Galatians 4:31 says, 'We are FREE." Then in chapter 5, "Stand fast, therefore, IN THE FREEDOM wherewith Christ hath MADE us free, and be not ENTANGLED again with the yoke of bondage." We are

free! Christ made us free! Be not entangled again!

Freedom is the opposite of being bound, the opposite of bondage. Bondage means slavery. 

What a day it was when God sent Moses by His Almighty power and led Israel out of bondage into the freedom of God. No longer were they under the taskmaster's lash. No longer did the Israelite have to get up in the morning and do exactly what someone else over him wanted him to do and forced him to do all day long.

I remember (through the years of pastoring), hearing my daughter, Tammie, say: "Mom, you need to learn how to play."  She was right.  I had lost the ability to play!  Life had become far too serious. 

Life can be changed.  Burdens can be lifted.  YES, God uses joy to enhance our life and lift our load, as well as allowing us to bring our burdens to the cross.  What a Good God we serve!!

When Jesus bowed His head on the cross and said, "It Is Finished" - He paid the ultimate price for my freedom.  Freedom from sin and all bondages. 

Saints ....  it is not wrong to play and laugh and be just downright silly !!!   Try it! 

• Your load will feel lighter
• You will love more and hate less
• Your health will improve
• Your days will have value
• Your creativity will flow
• Your relationships will improve
• Your children will laugh with you
• You will be fulfilled

I pray that God grant you the opportunity to  experience this freedom, the freedom that is IN CHRIST, freedom from fear, freedom from the sense of guilt and sin, and freedom from sin's lash.  And...the freedom to play.

Play.  Enjoy life.  Just like Teddy does ... with his little yellow ball.

The human race has only one effective weapon, and that is laughter!

It's that simple!

....