Sometimes Christians look like they have been drinking pickle juice. They appear as though they're not having any fun at all-as if life is just one serious endeavor. They look like their faces might crack open if they tried to smile!Yes, life is difficult. But a family needs to be a free place, a place of enjoyment and laughter. Barbara and I want our kids to remember us laughing, having a good time.
I remember one day that had been hard and heavy for Barbara. I decided we needed to laugh a little, so we organized a "refrigerator trial" for her. We convened the entire Rainey clan, and I appointed our oldest son, Benjamin, as judge and the rest of the kids as jury.
"This woman, Barbara Rainey, is charged with neglect of the refrigerator," I declared. We began pulling out food, "Exhibit A," "B," etc. And I want you to know that it was a sorry sight. We found some objects that had been in there so long they had shrunk away from the sides of the plastic bowl and kind of looked like hockey pucks.
We found green things. Living things. We would take off the lid of something and let the "jury" smell it, and they would nearly get sick. Even our dog ran for cover.
Finally, we had all the exhibits out on the table, and the jury declared, "Guilty as charged-neglect of the refrigerator." With a pound of the gavel, the judge declared, "Guilty as charged!" And then we all piled in and cleaned the refrigerator for Mom.
I have a suggestion: Clean out your own refrigerator tonight (and hold a trial if needed). Then put up a card on the refrigerator door that says, "I want to be guilty of having too much fun in life!"