MM_020917

20 | February 9, 2017 | The Mokena Messenger faith
mokenamessenger.com
Robin’s Nest
A late night brush with humor
Robin Melvin
Contributing Columnist
I
tried not to laugh. I
really did was almost
midnight, and my
sleep-deprived husband was
snoozing five feet from the
bathroom door. It was Memorial
Day weekend, and he
was 31 hours into overtime
on the second day of storm
duty. He could be called
back at any moment, so I
didn’t want to wake him.
I was exhausted, too.
Physically, because it was
nearing midnight. Emotionally,
because we were
depressed after our recent
move from Texas. Humor
was in short supply. We’d
let too much seriousness
sneak into our days.
After tip-toeing past Jeff
and into the bathroom, I
squeezed paste onto my
toothbrush. About 5 seconds
in, something wasn’t right.
It didn’t smell right.
Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste
smells and tastes
weird, but this was different.
Kind of fishy. After sniffing
it, I shrugged and continued
scrubbing until I looked in
the mirror.
The white stuff was a
little too creamy and a tad
too white. A quick glance
into my toiletry basket revealed
a long-forgotten tube
of Preparation H sitting on
top of my Tom’s of Maine.
At first, I thought, “How
stupid is that?” Then, looking
back up at the ointment
oozing out between my
teeth, I wondered, “Will my
gums shrink and make my
teeth fall out?”
I tried to stifle my giggles
as I rinsed and re-brushed.
When I crawled into bed,
they still bubbled out. Trying
to hold it in only made
me snort, which woke Jeff.
“What’s so funny?”
I barely had breath to
explain. Soon he was laughing
too. A good, cleansing
laugh with the works. Snot
and tears and calming down
to try to sleep until one of us
giggled again.
When is the last time you
enjoyed a good belly laugh?
Are you so burdened, even
by everyday irritants, that
you miss the blessing of
humor? We don’t have to
look far to see we’re created
for it. It’s wired into us for
a reason.
Proverbs 17:22 tells us,
“A cheerful disposition is
good for your health; gloom
and doom leave you bonetired.”
When did we start taking
life so seriously? Perhaps
we need to look back and
seek healing. If we’re not
careful, a somber spirit
becomes natural to us. It’s
the way we roll. Too hard
on ourselves and others.
My friends, let’s not get
so bogged down in difficulties
and busyness that we
forget to see life’s funny
side. Even the most bizarre
and illogical can be downright
comical.
So, let’s lighten up. Life’s
too short to be stern and
humorless. Learn to play a
little and laugh a lot. And
don’t forget to laugh at
yourself. It’s good medicine
for the mind, body and
spirit. Our moods and our
relationships will benefit
from it.
I pray peace and laughter
for your journey, my
friends.
The thoughts and opinions
expressed in this column are
those of the author. They do
not necessarily represent the
thoughts of 22nd Century Media
or its staff.
Faith Briefs
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (19515 115th
Ave., Mokena)
Church Service
5 p.m. Saturdays; 8 a.m,
9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6:
p.m. Sundays
Adoration
Wednesdays following
8:00 a.m. Mass in the Chapel
until 6:45 p.m.
Holy Rosary
7:30 a.m. daily; 7 p.m.
Tuesday evenings
Parker Road Bible Church (18512 Parker
Road, Mokena)
Worship Service
10:30 a.m. Sundays. Be
sure to arrive early for our
Sunday Worship Service to
enjoy a hot, complimentary
cup of coffee every week at
the church. Following the
Christian Education Hour
(9:15 - 10:15 a.m.), all beverages
can be found just outside
the sanctuary.
Grace Fellowship Church (11049 LaPorte
Road, Mokena)
Narcotics Anonymous
7-9 p.m. Mondays. All
those struggling or who have
struggled with a narcotics
addiction are welcome. All
meetings are confidential.
For more information, call
(708) 479-0300.
Spanish Church
12:30 p.m. every Sunday
Worship Service
10 a.m. every Sunday. All
are welcome.
Women’s Bible Study
8:45-9:45 a.m. every Sunday
and 2-3 p.m. every Tuesday
Marley Community Church (12625 W.
187th St., Mokena)
Church Service
10 a.m. Sundays. Childcare
is provided
Sunday School
9-10 a.m.
Men’s Group
6 p.m. Sunday nights in
the church basement. All
men are welcome.
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church
(10731 W. La Porte Road, Mokena)
Friendship Weekend
5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11
and 9 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.
Sunday, Feb. 12.
Contemporary Worship
5 p.m. Saturday
Worship
9 a.m. Sunday
Mokena Baptist Church (9960 W. 187th
St., Mokena)
Ladies Bible Study
7 p.m. every Thursday.
Meetings take place at The
Talking Shirt Boutique,
19805 S. LaGrange Road in
Mokena. For more information,
call (312) 350-2279.
Men’s Bible Study
The men’s bible study is
held quarterly at Cracker
Barrel, 18531 N. Creek
Drive in Tinley Park. The
meetings are held at 9 a.m.,
and men will enjoy studying
the Bible over breakfast.
Sunday Services
11 a.m. and 5 p.m. For
more information, call (312)
350-2279.
Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Sundays. Mokena
Baptist offers Sunday
School classes for all ages.
For more information, call
(312) 350-2279.
Mokena United Methodist Church (10901
LaPorte Road, Mokena)
Service and Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Sundays.
Church service and Sunday
school will be held. For
more information, call (708)
479-1110.
Bible Study
7 p.m. Tuesdays
Walking Club
7 p.m. Mondays
Weight Watchers
Wednesday
Weigh-ins take place at
6:30 p.m., while the meeting
is at 7 p.m.
Have something for Faith
Briefs? Contact Assistant
Editor Amanda Stoll at
a.stoll@22ndcenturymedia.com
or call (708) 326-9170 ext. 34.
Deadline is noon Thursday one
week prior to publication.
In Memorium
Frank Haddon
Frank Haddon,
68, of Mokena,
died Jan. 11. He attended
Thornton High School in
Harvey. He served in the U.S.
Air Force and was a Vietnam
veteran. Frank is survived by
his wife, Cindy (nee Rodenburg),
daughters, Joni (Brian)
Murphy and Molly (Scott)
Long, grandchildren, Carly,
Tegan, Olivia, Jack, Kyle,
and Georgia and sister Janice
(Vince) Rizzi. Interment at
Abraham Lincoln National
Cemetery. In lieu of flowers,
donations to the American
Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.
Lester Lingle
Lester B. Lingle,
88, formerly of Mokena, died
on Jan. 29. He was a United
States Army Veteran, retired
from Amtrak as a Material
Control Clerk and was formerly
a butcher for 27 years.
He is survived by his wife,
Sandra Faye (nee Bass),
children Timothy L. (Amy)
Lingle, Teddy W. (Kathy)
Lingle, and Tracey L. Lingle,
eight grandchildren, six
great-grandchildren, brother
Rev. Clifford (Lacene) Lingle
and son-in law, David Perry.
Visitation and funeral were
held at Kurtz Memorial Chapel
in New Lenox. Interment
Abraham Lincoln National
Cemetery. In lieu of flowers,
donations to Zion Hill Baptist
building fund, 2003 Zion
Hill Rd., Centralia, IL 62801
would be appreciated.
Luke Dominy
Luke Daniel Dominy, 32,
of Mokena and Homewood,
died Jan. 29. He was a graduate
of Lincoln-Way East and
Safety Director and Project
Manager for Meany Electric.
He is survived by his
mother, Jeanne M. Dominy
(nee Fares), father, Daniel R.
Dominy, and siblings Julie
(Alex) Zubak and Nick (Rebecca)
Dominy. Visitation
was held at Panozzo Bros.
Funeral Home in Chicago
Heights. Funeral service was
held at Olympia Fields Country
Club. Interment private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials
to New Star Services, 1624
East 154th Street, Dolton, IL
60419, would be appreciated.
Have someone’s life you’d
like to honor? Email Editor
Tim Carroll at tim@mokenames-
senger.com with information
about a loved one
who was a part of the Mokena
community.