Laugh or Cry?

A cheerful heart is good medicine,

but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

Pastor Bruce McIver tells the story of returning from a trip during the period of time soon after his wife's death.  He had been attending a three day seminar that was required for his college teaching.  As he walked across the lawn toward the house, words of greeting for his soul-mate were already forming in his mind when he crossed the threshold and remembered - the house was empty.  He dropped his luggage - a suitcase and brand new leather briefcase - on the floor, turned up the thermostat, and dropped into a lounge chair for the oblivion of a short nap before picking up his little girl.

Sometime later he woke from a deep sleep to a burning odor and a cloud of thick smoke.  The floor furnace was located just inside the entrance of the room - right where he had dropped his luggage before turning up the heat.  He grabbed the hot handles of the bags, opened the front door, and pitched the luggage out on the lawn.  The upsurge of oxygen caused the luggage to burst into flames in mid-air, and all McIver could do was stand and watch as his clothing, underwear, suits, shirts, sweaters, ties, mementos, correspondence, notes, etc., were reduced to a heap of ashes.

At that point, McIver said that he had two options - sink into an even greater despondency and possibly depression, or laugh.  He chose the latter.  In the midst of his laughter, he chuckled to himself: "If the phoenix can rise from the ashes, maybe my insurance can at least buy me a new set of underwear!"

As told in:  

Stories I Couldn't Tell When I was a Pastor

Bruce McIver - Guideposts