Goof Off for God

goof offGoofing Off With Carly and Cadence. January, 2011. 

Grin and Bear It (The Good News, That Is)

For a people who are supposed to have the joy, joy, joy,joy down in our hearts, we sure can be a sour and dour bunch of folks. I thought about that yesterday when I read these words over at Addie Zierman’s How to Talk Evangelical:

I am not a poet, but I believe in poetry. I believe that it is part of the cure to a Christian Culture that is obsessed with finding the Right Answer. To winning the argument. To being LOUD and being HEARD and being IMPORTANT.

Joy lives in poetry, indeed. But it spends its weekends visiting the carnival of goofing off. So should we. Work hard when it is time to work, but remember that it isn’t always time to work.

I am a big believer in play. In fact, I believe so strongly in the power of play that I’m working on a little book about it. Goofing off, in my mind, is more spontaneous than play. It doesn’t require special gear, or a playing field, or athletic clothes, or a big block of time. Goofing off is free.

 Goofing off is priceless.

We can think of goofing off as drive-by playing–spontaneous little morsels of fun that we swipe from the dessert table of life.

Here are a few ideas for goofing off. 

1. Have a dog? Smear a little peanut butter on your refrigerator door  at dog-height. Then watch your dog clean it up. Take pictures.

2. Wink at a stranger in line at the store.

3. Make funny faces at a child.

4. Call a friend and sing them a song. (I thank my friend Laura Brown for this concept. Since she is golden-throated, when she does it, it’s a precious gift. When I do it, it’s goofing off.)

5. Use one or more of these words in a sentence. Preferably in an email. Preferably at work:

Madcap. Zany. Whackadaddy (I owe a debt of thanks to John D. Blase for that one). Shenanigans. Kooky.

You get the idea, right? Good. Go forth and goof off. Oh, and share your favorite goof-off tips in the comments, won’t you?

rabbit conga

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Luke 2:10 (KJV)

Comments

  1. Thank you for permission to goof off Sheila. It is so refreshing! I’ve been struggling to make every moment “count” and fit in all the things I think I’m supposed to be doing. Surely there must be a few minutes in the day when I can just goof off. I love whackadaddy. What a great word. I’m tucking that one in my pocket.

  2. Linda, you are so welcome. We’re all members of the body of Christ, and we’re to care for one another, right? I’m thinking that includes reminding one another that we are not little battery-powered rabbits.

    I’m always so happy to see you here, sweet friend. xoxo

  3. Can you SEE this big smile on my face??? LOVE this!

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