Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Psalm 126:2 (NIV)

I was recently watching an episode of one of my favorite television shows.  At the conclusion of the show the main character spoke about it doesn’t matter what started a tradition as long as the tradition brings people closer together.  Those words spoke to my heart.

Another thing that deeply touches me is when friends are honest enough to look at your life and say something that is laugh out loud funny as well as heartwarming.  A friend watched the video presentation of his life that we used at Reed’s services and genuinely asked me, “What’s up with your kids and egg-dyeing in their underpants?”

One of many egg-dyeing moments with Reed.

After a quick dance of perplexed eyebrows, I burst into laughter.  That rumbling that comes deep from within your belly escaped from my mouth.  I knew exactly what she was talking about.  Now before anyone gets crazy ideas about nakedness in this household, you might want to know that I despise dealing with stains in clothing. If I were a super-hero, Red Food Coloring and Glitter would be my arch-enemies.

Rather than having to battle later, my good Girl Scout training taught to me to think ahead.  No clothes = no dye stains!  Therefore, prior to the bus crash, if you were little enough to stain your clothes, you did your egg-dyeing in your skivvies.  (That tradition like rotary phones went by the way side as time went on.)

All I saw watching that presentation was a short lifetime of memories. It’s anybody’s guess what others saw. Those pictures were there before God and tons of people, and only one friend said boo about our unconventional tradition.  A simple question that made my heart laugh at a time when I needed it the most.  Isn’t that exactly why God gave us friends to help us guide us to laughter even when our hearts are breaking?

A great reminder that someday we will laugh again!