Unless you've been living under a rock, you have heard of the phenomenon of the Chewbacca mask lady. A week or so ago, a stay-at-home mom of two went shopping. She went into the store looking for one thing but, like many of us, came out with something totally different. She decided to share her find and laughter with her Facebook friends and family. Little did she know that over 140 million of us needed a piece of her simple joy.
"We were filled with laughter and we sang for joy." Psalms126:2
The viral video taught me a lot of things. Candace (AKA the Chewbacca lady) taught me that life's simplest moments are oftentimes the best. We don't need millions, grandeur, or a fancy well-planned event to experience joy. It's in the everyday. And, while I knew this, I needed the reminder. Sometimes I rush through my days so fast that I miss those moments robbing myself of the joy that was right in front of me all along.
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
I have a love/hate relationship with social media. On the one hand, it connects me to people I love. But, there's also an ugly side to social media. We all know this. We read the hate-filled polarizing comments more often than we'd like. We see news reports and read articles that terrify us. However, after watching a video of a woman laughing over something so simple go viral, I restored hope in this tool we have been blessed with. Blessed. Yes, I said blessed. Social media is powerful. What if we trained our children to use it for good? What would our world look like then? What if instead of running from or trying to ignore the reality that technology and social media are here to say, we train our children that social media can be a force to be reckoned with for the good. We teach them to post joy-filled videos, messages of hope, comments of encouragement and empowerment of their friends and even their enemies. No matter what is placed into our hands, it can always be used for evil. Social media isn't the problem. We are. Let's use this viral video as a reminder that people long to be encouraged, inspired, and filled with laughter. Let's do more of that. That's teach the next generation to do more of that.
"The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works." Psalm 145:9
Over 140 million people viewed a video of someone trying on a Chewbacca mask and laughing hysterically. In a world of horror, terror, anger, violence, tension, and what seems like everyone at each other's throats, it sure is nice to learn that millions of people needed a good laugh. We were all unified in joy. What a breath of fresh air! At the heart of each of us is a smile and a little laughter. Regardless of what is happening in our lives, we all need a little joy.
"After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live." Ecclessiastes 5:18-20
God blesses us each and every day. If you are like me, sometimes it is difficult to accept and enjoy those blessings. Sometimes we feel like we don't deserve them. Other times we see our friends, loved ones, and our world suffering and feel it is unfair to experience the joy He has for us. The Chewbacca lady showed me that it is okay to relish in the joy; the moment. She jumped into the crazy public ride her video created with both feet and without hesitation. One thing she has said over and over again is that she knows this moment is fleeting but she is going to enjoy and savor every bit of it. She was excited to enjoy the blessing He bestowed upon her. That made me excited to enjoy the blessings He doles out to me everyday. Life is good. Enjoy it. Every single second. Laugh until you cry (and maybe pee a little. C'mon mamas. You know what I'm talking about). Smile at the corky things you do unwittingly. Breath in the smell of fresh cut grass in the springtime. Let the warmth of the sunshine renew your depleted spirit. Enjoy the moment. There's joy to be found in the every day.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
The last thing I learned from Ms. Chewbacca, is that He speaks into our lives to give us life. He has a plan for each of us. We just need to be patient and committed enough to let that plan play out. Candace talked about how she heard God speak into her life years ago that He had big plans for her life. She didn't know exactly what that would look like but she had an idea. She did this and that over the years not feeling like she had fulfilled that prophecy. Then, a video of her in a Kohl's parking lot went viral and all of a sudden she had a platform. She was patient. She didn't force her plans into His mold. She let life play out patiently waiting expectantly for Him to move and move He did. Her story, her experience helped me remain patient. God has a plan for me. When it seems like that plan will never come to fruition, I will remember a cute stay-at-home mama who made me laugh until my stomach hurt. I have hope because He has a plan.
Here's to a little more joy!
Love & Blessings,
Meg
"We were filled with laughter and we sang for joy." Psalms126:2
The viral video taught me a lot of things. Candace (AKA the Chewbacca lady) taught me that life's simplest moments are oftentimes the best. We don't need millions, grandeur, or a fancy well-planned event to experience joy. It's in the everyday. And, while I knew this, I needed the reminder. Sometimes I rush through my days so fast that I miss those moments robbing myself of the joy that was right in front of me all along.
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
I have a love/hate relationship with social media. On the one hand, it connects me to people I love. But, there's also an ugly side to social media. We all know this. We read the hate-filled polarizing comments more often than we'd like. We see news reports and read articles that terrify us. However, after watching a video of a woman laughing over something so simple go viral, I restored hope in this tool we have been blessed with. Blessed. Yes, I said blessed. Social media is powerful. What if we trained our children to use it for good? What would our world look like then? What if instead of running from or trying to ignore the reality that technology and social media are here to say, we train our children that social media can be a force to be reckoned with for the good. We teach them to post joy-filled videos, messages of hope, comments of encouragement and empowerment of their friends and even their enemies. No matter what is placed into our hands, it can always be used for evil. Social media isn't the problem. We are. Let's use this viral video as a reminder that people long to be encouraged, inspired, and filled with laughter. Let's do more of that. That's teach the next generation to do more of that.
"The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works." Psalm 145:9
Over 140 million people viewed a video of someone trying on a Chewbacca mask and laughing hysterically. In a world of horror, terror, anger, violence, tension, and what seems like everyone at each other's throats, it sure is nice to learn that millions of people needed a good laugh. We were all unified in joy. What a breath of fresh air! At the heart of each of us is a smile and a little laughter. Regardless of what is happening in our lives, we all need a little joy.
"After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live." Ecclessiastes 5:18-20
God blesses us each and every day. If you are like me, sometimes it is difficult to accept and enjoy those blessings. Sometimes we feel like we don't deserve them. Other times we see our friends, loved ones, and our world suffering and feel it is unfair to experience the joy He has for us. The Chewbacca lady showed me that it is okay to relish in the joy; the moment. She jumped into the crazy public ride her video created with both feet and without hesitation. One thing she has said over and over again is that she knows this moment is fleeting but she is going to enjoy and savor every bit of it. She was excited to enjoy the blessing He bestowed upon her. That made me excited to enjoy the blessings He doles out to me everyday. Life is good. Enjoy it. Every single second. Laugh until you cry (and maybe pee a little. C'mon mamas. You know what I'm talking about). Smile at the corky things you do unwittingly. Breath in the smell of fresh cut grass in the springtime. Let the warmth of the sunshine renew your depleted spirit. Enjoy the moment. There's joy to be found in the every day.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
The last thing I learned from Ms. Chewbacca, is that He speaks into our lives to give us life. He has a plan for each of us. We just need to be patient and committed enough to let that plan play out. Candace talked about how she heard God speak into her life years ago that He had big plans for her life. She didn't know exactly what that would look like but she had an idea. She did this and that over the years not feeling like she had fulfilled that prophecy. Then, a video of her in a Kohl's parking lot went viral and all of a sudden she had a platform. She was patient. She didn't force her plans into His mold. She let life play out patiently waiting expectantly for Him to move and move He did. Her story, her experience helped me remain patient. God has a plan for me. When it seems like that plan will never come to fruition, I will remember a cute stay-at-home mama who made me laugh until my stomach hurt. I have hope because He has a plan.
Here's to a little more joy!
Love & Blessings,
Meg
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