UKRAINIAN HUMOR

Once we were visiting with a friend in the south part of Ukraine called the Crimea.  It's where we lived for over three(of our almost 20) years before moving up north near the capital.  He was talking about the difficulties of life in their little country village.  We understood as we saw the challenging lifestyle he was referring to.  He was not brooding and in fact was laughing and joking.  As he talked I marveled at his "take on things."  I finally said to him that I could see this was a difficult life and yet he laughed and joked about it.  His answer has always stuck with me.  "We laugh because otherwise we would cry."  It is the method of survival for so many in Ukraine when life is challenging, and not a bad one.  I'm sure under the laughter there may at times be some bitterness, but such he did not betray.  When life has given me a bad pill I've looked at it this way.  I can get bitter or I can get better.  I choose the latter.  Trusting in Christ allows me to know he has a plan for my life and it sometimes includes challenging experiences.  His plan is to continue to refine us like silver to be more and more the image of Christ.  I am grateful to be one of His children, to have been chosen to know Him.  Put your trust in Him and he will never forsake you for he loves you like no other can love you.  He is the author of love itself.  God is love, love is of God.  Believe in it.  Trust in it.  He waits for you and joys in your fellowship. 

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephanian 3:17