My friends David and Clarice James know how to laugh. They speak laughter, even in the midst of tears.
What is laughter? Online answers ranged from “Well, it’s hard to explain,” to laughter being part of the limbic system of the brain. There you go; laugh #1.
The Bible says God laughs, so we, in the image of God, also laugh—and it feels good!
Back to David and Clarice. Both are published authors; thence the connection. Here are lines from Clarice’s bio:

• I think the best part of going to the gym is leaving.
• When I was a little girl, I used to soak all the family’s toothbrushes in Lestoil.
• Some of the funniest lines my characters use, I stole from my husband.

 
David, however, is fighting cancer, not generally considered a barrel of laughs. Clarice’s blog announcement was entitled, Sorry, the New Year You Ordered Is Out of Stock. She goes on to say,

When someone is battling illness, it’s hard not to let it define you. My first prayer with David: “This is cancer; it’s not us. We are Christians. We have faith. We know what the ultimate future holds. We are not afraid.”

The cancer was caught early, with remission quite likely. “Until then,” says Clarice, “we’ll keep the faith, keep laughing, and covet your prayers.”
Before all this came to pass, Clarice’s first novel, Double Header, hit the marketplace. Their plans for a big rollout had to be postponed, but the book is out there, looking for readers. If you like baseball and especially the Red Sox, you’ll love this book. Check it out on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Double-Header-Clarice-G-James/dp/1941291244/
Psalm 126 is a song of laughter in the context of grief.

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy….
Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.

In a recent blog about Easter, I wondered how Jesus might have come back to life, suggesting, perhaps, that he “ripped off his shroud, sat up on the cold, stone bench, and laughed in the face of death.”
David liked that. “Love the image of Jesus arising with a laugh,” he wrote. “Nice job!”
People of laughter know how to live well. David and Clarice James have practiced the art.

Live hilariously in the Lord, dear friends! Drink from that uncontainable fountain of joy that often bursts out of a deep well of tears.

Clarice’s website is first rate, excellent in every way. Check it out: https://claricejames.com/ 

And do pray for David as he finishes his course of treatment.