She's Laughing Again

It was well past lights out and as I laid on the church floor, I could hear her giggling. My normal response would have been to crawl out of my sleeping bag, grab my Scooby-Doo flashlight, and issue a gentle yet firm .... "Ladies .... it's lights out!". But instead, I laid there and smiled to myself. She's laughing again.

She has had a hard year, the loss of a dear friend in a car accident last Spring, add in the many issues of being a teenager, sometimes life can just plain stink .... and she wrapped herself in darkness. Her eyes grew hollow, her attire grew black, isolation & chemicals.

And so I laid there, exhausted and wishing for a couple hours of sleep and gave thanks to the giver of life that she is back. I see Jesus in her eyes again. I hear him in her laugh.

When she leaves on Saturday, she gives me a hug ... and she literally skips away.

Thank you Jesus for early morning giggles on church floors.

Amen.