Just for A Smile!

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful.”  Proverbs 15: 13

God is so good about providing laughter and even a smile.  Nothing real spiritual, no theology, no lesson to be learned, just life.  Just for a smile.

         This week, my man-child, our 15-year-old daughter and I were driving when this moment of laughter erupted.  Our daughter was telling us about what appears to be a new Christian based movie.  Its arrival in the theaters coincides with her birthday by a couple of days.

         The conversation began while my son was driving. I was riding in the back seat as I heard the banter begin…

“I could take my friends to the movies two days after my birthday.  It wouldn’t be my ‘real’ birthday party, but it would be like another party for my birthday week.”

“What are you talking about? You aren’t going to celebrate your birthday for a week anyways!”

Then I pop in, “There really isn’t any such thing as a birthday week.”

That really woke my daughter up,  “WHAT??  You’ve told me my whole life we have our birthdays for a week!”

To which the man-child responded, “Well, I’m just saying, at college, people don’t even acknowledge your birthday and they certainly don’t give you a birthday week.”

“What does college have to do with it?  I’m only going to be 16.  I’m not going to college, it will be my birthday week!”

Truthfully the conversation went on another few minutes before our daughter was almost in tears recounting her older sisters birthday at the beginning of the summer and how SHE had a birthday week. 

Misunderstandings can be quite comical or they can lead to disappointment, hurt and frustration.  This week as you face a misunderstanding, rather than taking it personal, take it for what it is, “a missed understanding.” And if nothing else, just take the smile.

(P.S.  Her birthday isn’t until October.  Just take the smile!)