Thursday Thought:: A Second Childhood

“I now hope and believe that a kind of second simplicity is the very goal of mature adulthood…Although we often used it in a derogatory way, I wonder if this was not our intuition when we spoke of older people as in a ‘second childhood’.  Maybe that is where we are supposed to go. Maybe that is what several poets meant when they said ‘the child is the father of the man’.”

Richard Rohr, Falling Upward

Play is one of the world’s greatest untapped resources. At PlayFull, it’s what we’re all about. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Thank you for reading. 

Animal Crackers

Hump Day is Humor Day at PlayFull. Enjoy, friends!

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Jesus Laughed

Judah Smith is the author of a book entitled Jesus is _______________ in which he seeks to dispel common misconceptions about the (in)famous historical figure. 

In an interview at Relevant magazine, he answered the first question with these words:

“Jesus has, I think, for a long time been portrayed as very serious. To a fault. Meaning I don’t think a lot of seekers or believers have it in their thinking at all that Jesus actually had a sense of humor.

"The way we were created, the way we function, our emotions, our soul, our laughter, our joy—all of these things reflect—they are because of God’s glory and they are for God’s glory. Jesus was the full and complete embodiment of all that God is, and so, no doubt, He would have enjoyed a good time.

"I mean, look at the guys he chose, the 12 blue-collar, average, ordinary dudes. Some of them royal screw-ups. Jesus chose them and no doubt they were cracking jokes and laughing and having a good time.”

PlayFull agrees! Thank you, Judah, for this good reminder...

Have a good week, friends--and live in joy.

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My New Home

I have a new home now.

This is where I belong.

Look:

here is the cracked concrete,

the stuck windows

and crooked counters.

I know these things

need to be fixed

but they are only things.

They can wait.

Today, there will be people:

children, both quiet and impish—

the mourners and hopeful,

grieving the departed and

praying for adoption—

look, here is a woman snowblowing

and another preaching,

both strong, serving

and leading, creative

and hard-working.

Here, meet this wonderful couple:

grandparents, wise and ready to rest.

Who’s that?

She’s a seamstress and a hugger.

He serves the poor and is good with numbers.

Here’s a family learning to Sabbath

and another in Boy Scouts,

ready and prepared for adventures.

In my new home

there are people of many colors—

we like to bake and eat.

This family is sharp and stubborn,

soft and silent,

musical, dramatic and analytical.

Say what you want—they strive to love.

I will be travelling this week,

But my heart will be home.

Its (im)perfection warms my soul.

my new home

by Troy Cady

Learning Is The Thing For You

A couple days ago, PlayFull board member Doreen Olson shared this with her friends. Good thoughts!

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Best. Principal. Ever.

Here in Chicago we got pounded with another snowstorm today, but schools are still open. Earlier this year, schools did close due to extremely cold temperatures. In Kentucky, a school principal and a drama teacher recently recorded a creative message to let folks know the news of their school closing due to the cold. It is very funny! It's good to see these guys don't take themselves too seriously...

Hump Day is Humor Day at PlayFull. Laughter is good medicine! Keep up with our uplifting content by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter. Have a good day and thanks for reading.

Cherish Diversity

I did not watch the Super Bowl but today I gathered two chief highlights:

A. The Denver Broncos were as dominant as a pack of incontinent gerbils.

and

B. The ad by Coca-Cola elicited some very strong reactions.

I suppose it is safe to say I never would have predicted either of these two things.

That made me wonder: “Huh?” Especially with “letter B” above.

Granted, English is considered by many to be the official* language here. But the America we live in is composed of people from many, many, many, many….many nations—speaking many, many, many, many different languages.

This is good—it is rare and precious.

Language is playful and creative. It is a doorway into a vast array of cultures. This diversity should be celebrated, cherished and nurtured.

I live in a neighborhood that is one of the most diverse in America. On any given day, as I look out the window to the sidewalk in front of my house, it is not uncommon to see people from various countries, representing diverse ethnic groupings, religions and languages. Muslims, Jews and Catholics, spanning from the Middle East to South America, live in our neighborhood. We hear Arabic, Polish, Swedish, Hebrew, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, German, Tagalog, French and Swahili spoken here. There is a hookah bar nearby and a taquería on Lawrence Avenue. On that same street, just a short walk away, you can get the best sushi in Chicago. Walk a little farther if you want some nice Italian pizza or Korean barbecue.

                             

Language is intimately tied to culture. Americans of all colors and ethnic backgrounds should be eager to take advantage of the proximate diversity we enjoy—or should enjoy. As someone who served as a pastor of churches made up of people from different countries I can personally attest that rubbing shoulders with people who are unlike oneself is one of the most rewarding and enriching things you can ever do.

Rather than insisting on conformity, we should be champions of diversity. God made the world rich with the vibrant textures of culture and language. No one people group has a monopoly on truth and beauty. We have much to learn from one another. Together, the world’s people form a tapestry that is able to inspire awe, reverence and worship—if we let it.   PlayFull’s prayer is: let it be.

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*A good friend pointed out that America has no "official" language per se.