Information overload! Ever been there? Your head feels like a full laundry basket after two-weeks — not one more square inch remains empty. Straggling shirt sleeves overflow the edges. Socks mash to the size of dollar bill. When the crammed basket is tipped over, jiggling and shaking is necessary. Onto the floor plops the heap like a formed jello mold. No dead air.

That’s my brain right now. Ideas, information, creativity, angles, perspectives, instruction, insight, and thoughts are racing through my mind like clothes in a spin cycle. I returned Sunday night from my four-day Writing for the Soul writer’s conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado held at the Broadmoor.

The conference overflowed with invaluable information, amazing speakers, applicable teaching, and editors. At the end of each 14-hour day, my mind whirled with new ideas.

It’s four days later now and I still haven’t digested all the information. I woke up the other morning with my first thought in mid-sentence of how I can tweak things, rearrange, and package my book. Clearly the laundry basket is overflowing!

Parenting is a bit like this for me as well. Just when I think I’ve got it down, the rules change. I rack my brain for a new angle or perspective, or get creative to find unconventional ways to teach our daughter the lesson.

When Hannah was just a toddler, I would try to sit her down and give her the talk of all the whys and why not’s. Of course, at that young age, her attention span waned quickly. Get it out quicker next time! Get to the point! Now that she’s entering the adolescent years, more creativity is needed given that hormones enter the scene to mess up any plan in seconds.

As parents, there are days that we feel like our minds have only dead air, fresh ideas dried up, and the rules spilled over. But somehow, somewhere, God’s gracious perspective enters the scene and the innovative angle appears like the sunny blue sky saying hello after a thunderstorm.

I love that about God’s unsullied perspective. It’s nothing I see. It’s an indefinable slant I struggle to wrap my mind around. Yet it’s just what He purposed all along.

As a writer and parent, I need His perspective. I stumble in my approach, my slant spills out wrong, and my perspective needs a gentle twist.

Now if only God did laundry …

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle

I love watching babies giggle. From such tiny little bodies comes belly-filled laughter. When Hannah was little, her sign of a true belly-filled laugh was hiccupping. Once she started hiccupping, I laughed harder and so did she. Now at eleven, with a great laugh still come hiccups.

My husband’s sense of humor is very subtle and dry. When we first started dating, I didn’t get his humor. By the time he explained it, it wasn’t as funny. I get it now, but no one laughs harder at his humor than he does.

I just laugh loud. I can’t help it. I just do. When at a dinner theater, the cast always appreciated my attendance because they could hear me laughing and felt my support. (I’m not sure those next to me cared for it though.) A few years ago, I met someone who matches me in the laughter-decibel level. We’ve gotten some of the same looks!

Life is full of discouraging news, devastation, busyness, and stress. One day flows into the next without much time for afterthought. Chauffer. Employee. Disciplinarian. Cook. Teacher. Entertainer. Maid. Homework Director. Organizer. Just keeping up with the rhythm of life proves to be a challenge. But life without laughter adds to the monotony.

Laughter breaks up the day’s stress. It shrinks anger and melts anxiety … even if for a moment. When belly-filled laughter takes hold, everything else dissipates.

Tell a joke. Style your hair goofy just for your kid’s sake. Play charades. Reminisce about life’s hilarious moments. Tickle someone. Spend one day smiling at everyone you see.

Just schedule some laughter in your day if you must.

Laughter is the sensation of feeling good all over and showing it principally in one place. ~Josh Billings

I have reached a personal milestone. It is one that for many years seemed so far off, yet somehow managed to creep up. You know the one … many wear black in honor of the receiver, endless banners and decorations were developed for the special occasion, some people savor every planning moment to make the recipient feel more depressed on such day, and even some beneficiaries of this milestone disappear or hide the news from all. What milestone? The big one … 40!

I have to admit I am one of those horrible people that is usually ruthless when my friends and family hit a milestone. I have given dreadful (but funny for the rest of us) parties for the poor souls, spray painted flowers black, and bought the “old people” gifts that no one will ever use (or admit they do), but everyone is compelled to buy. I was always told, “Just wait until you get there … paybacks!”

As this milestone was approaching, I realized I was really looking forward to reaching the entrance of a new decade. As I have gotten older, I look back at how far I have come and am glad for God’s grace, incredible friendships, and a loving family. Sure a few things I hate to admit are transpiring … the other day my hand was compelled to pull back away from me while reading the newspaper, sometimes I find the music kids play a bit too head-bangin’ for me, and I’m thinking we need someone to take a look at our furnace as we have heat surges from time-to-time.

But my paybacks came in a beautiful package. A Celebration of Life. For all the dreadful parties I have thrown (especially for my sister), I deserved a depressing fanfare. Yet, she did not return such a favor. She and everyone else were (mostly) incredibly wonderful, complementary, sweet, and gracious. It was great!! My sister set out a memory album for people to write in with old photos she included or with means to make your own, my mom created a CD of photos from the past 40 years set to Mozart, my cousin wrote me a beautiful poem, and so many others said or wrote such wonderful thoughts and wishes for me. I loved that! It was just an overall celebration of the past 40 years. (Although my car is now sporting a 40-year-old vanity license plate!)

Then I ran across a saying in my daily calendar:

Some things are better forgotten. Your first blind date. That prom dress with poufy sleeves and a big bow in the front … but special times with good friends are worth remembering.

There are always things in our lives we would rather not rehash, periods of time we wish we could erase and do over, or decisions we wish we could take back. It is human nature. The past 40 years have not all been roses for me and I certainly spent many years feeling like a dead plant not certain I would sprout again. But God is in the recycling business and I love that about Him!

It is easy to forget the many things in life worth celebrating. Too often the problems of today are held too closely to our eyes and cloud our view. So feel free — let your hand pull back away from your eyes to see the whole picture in front of you. Whether it is a smile on a little one’s face, a moment to take in beautiful surroundings, or just a day to be thankful for health and life, take time to celebrate the little things.

My recent special time with friends and family is one of those things worth remembering. It may have taken me 40 years, but I think I am changing my tune — no more dreadful parties. Now just celebrations of life! Celebrations of moving forward to embrace what lies ahead!

Celebrate the incredible things in life!