Thursday, January 10, 1008

“I’m going to tell you about the day Josh saved my life. One sunny day last Fall,” Zach began. “Josh and I went to Bona Dea to walk and run.”
“We jogged,” Josh interrupted. “Because Zach made me jog.”
Gathered around our dining room table, we shared stories at Papa’s request, laughing and commenting until Josh forfeited his turn and the buck was passed to Zach.
Zach: We were talking…
Josh: We were actually arguing. (His eyes rolled upward toward the ceiling, remembering.)
Zach: And Josh was telling me about alligators that jump out of the creek.
Josh: One alligator sighting.
Zach: And snakes all over the place waiting to attack.
Josh: I hate snakes.
Zach: And we cross this bridge…
Josh: There was no bridge.
Zach: Whatever! There so was a bridge!
Josh: (Just smiles.)
Zach: And all the sudden Josh grabs me and throws me off the path.
Josh: (shaking his head) Zach is a three-hundred pound man. I did not throw him.
Zach: You pushed me. Whatever. I went flying off the path.
Josh: That would be worth seeing.
Zach: And I’m like, “What is going on? What happened?”
Josh: You didn’t even think about it, man. You reacted.
Zach: Oh yeah? Okay, so I reacted immediately.
Josh: He screamed like a girl and jumped.
(The table erupted with laughter. Lauryn was nearly in my lap, laughing so hard tears rolled down her cheeks and should could hardly get her breath. The serene look on Josh’s face didn’t even crack or peel or threaten to come loose.)
Zach: And Josh yells, “It’s a snake! There’s a snake!”
Josh: There was.
Zach: So I grab this huge club and I look down at my feet and there is this snake…about this long (both guys hold their hands out maybe six inches apart). So I killed it. Josh saved my life. And we went right back to running and arguing.
Josh: That is a true statement.

We spent most of the evening exercising our abs, laughing and laughing and laughing. The occasion was a game night, dreamed up by Miss Lauryn and somehow grown a little to include Zach and Daniel and Josh, besides our own family and Nick—a right rollicking crew.

Most precious, though, throughout all our fun and games, was the unity of spirit. Called away to help Josiah with homework, I returned to find the rest crowded around the piano singing praise songs, the abandoned game of Balderdash lying neglected on the floor. And before we split ways, we gathered around for a prayer. Creeping to my bedroom through the quiet house, I marveled at the way my spirits had lifted through the agency of a little fun and fellowship.

Lord, Thou gives us joy and sorrow:
Weeping now, but joy tomorrow,
Thou appoints a time for all
A time to rise, a time to fall

A time to laugh, a time to cry
A time to live, a time to die.
Lord, my times are in Thy hand,
Help me, each time, to understand.

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