The Good Humor Woman

Years (to be honest, years and years) ago I worked for a well-known Christian recording artist, Dallas Holm and Praise. For those of you who don’t want to date yourselves by admitting that you know who I’m talking about, let’s just say that back in the day they were the equivalent of Third Day or Mercy Me. I had the privilege of working with Dallas’ personal secretary... who happened to be his mother.

That woman with the Minnesota accent taught me a valuable lesson about life. That lesson was to laugh. To laugh at myself and at whatever life threw my way.

Tula’s sense of humor was contagious. She could have me laughing so hard that I could not answer the phone (which was my job, by the way). The good news was that we were able to laugh our way through a somewhat boring work week when the group was on the road. The bad news was...the recording studio we used as an office had no bathroom! We had to go up a hill and use the “facilities” in the offices of David Wilkerson (who started Teen Challenge). Picture having to briskly stride up the hill and open the office door to see several industrious people bent over their typewriters (I am really dating myself when you realize this was before there was such a thing as a personal computer). They look up and know that the only reason you are there is to use their restroom. How humiliating! Although I guess it would have been even more humiliating if your trip up the hill wasn’t quick enough.

What I learned from this wonderful woman was that you could always find humor in any situation. This woman had been through many trying times herself, but she always had a smile and a laugh.

Before I even really thought about writing or joining ACFW, I had toyed with the idea of writing a book for pregnant women called “Thoughts While Pondering the Inside of the Toilet Bowl”. That one came to me somewhere in the first four months of my first two pregnancies. I had always wanted to lose weight, just not like that. Tula’s gift of finding humor in any life situation was revealing itself.

We all have stories of our children’s, (friends, neighbors, etc.) exploits that can bring tears to our eyes and a smile to our face. I can tell I need a good cry when I find myself laughing so hard that I get hysterical and start crying uncontrollably. It brings a release to my emotions that I don’t always know I need.

So, next time you find yourself in a slump, find that movie that gets you in stitches or look at those forwarded email pictures of silly babies or animals and let yourself cast your cares on the One who cares for you. You can be a “good humor woman” too.

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Elaine Clampitt is the secretary/treasurer for Mile High Scribes. She is currently trying to find the humor in having to take her only daughter to college this week. She has already found the relief, I mean humor, in her sons going back to college later this month. Hockey season is around the corner which brings another smile to her face.