The Joy Challenge: Friday 11th April 2014

There are some words in the English language that are reserved for special purposes: "gurgling" of streams and babies. That irresistibly contagious sound that bubbles out of a baby when they're laughing, forcing everyone in the room to coo and giggle along. As our godson Dennis did this evening: the whole room captivated by his tiny, irresistibly joyful face. "Gambolling" - a word I have only ever heard in relation to lambs, that jumping, skipping, playing, leaping, prancing, frolicking, young legs splayed thing that lambs do because they don't quite know how to move any other way. Just as babies do the gurgle thing because its their peculiar expression of happiness, of being alive, so lambs do the gambolling. Us humans - especially us adult humans - are missing a trick; we're forgotten how we're supposed to play. Lambs and babies are a pretty good reminder that playing is important, that God is the good Dad and we are his little children. And so, today, be playful. Do something outrageously silly just for the sake of it. Find a peculiar expression of happiness and practice it with all your might. 2 Samuel 6:14.