Joy and Sleepy Giggles

Coulter laughing in his car seat.

Psalm 4:7 — You have put joy in my heart . . .

When Coulter was little, once a week we would be at a friend's house for Bible study until after Coulter’s bedtime, and he would typically fall asleep before we left.

When it was time to go, I would scoop him up in my arms, carry him to the car, and get him buckled into his car seat. He would still be asleep, or at best half awake, but with his eyes wide open, and he would begin to giggle. Often, he would laugh all the way home. We would ask him what he was giggling at, but he never responded.

His laughter was so joyful, so innocent and so infectious, that even though we had no idea what he was laughing at, eventually his brothers, his mother and I were all laughing with him. You couldn’t help it; you had to laugh with him.

Coulter always loved to make people laugh, and his laughter never stopped being infectious. Joy and laughter seemed to flow from him and into the people around him. But some of my favorite memories are the times when he wasn't even trying to make you laugh, and somehow, you still couldn’t help but laugh with him.

Our Loving Father is the author of joy and of laughter. Some of His greatest gifts to us are the people who bring that joy and laughter into our lives.

I am so thankful for the joy He placed in Coulter's heart, and for the way Coulter shared so much of it with us. I miss his laugh more than words can express. But when I remember those rides home and the thousands of moments we laughed together, even with a broken heart, I still can't help but smile.

If you knew Coulter, try to remember his laugh today, and let it bring a smile to your face.

And whether you knew him or not, remember today to stop to cherish the laughter and the loved ones that you laugh with, and to give thanks to the Author of joy and laughter.

You are Loved More than You Know.

#coulterslight