By Catherine Castle
Have you ever
noticed that God has a sense of humor? If you haven’t then all you need to do
to see it is look around at nature. Consider these quirky creatures:
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| Spiny Something |
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| Colorful Crab |
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| Lion Fish |
All photos © by Catherine Castle
Only someone with a
sense of humor could create such funny looking creatures.
But God’s humor
doesn’t just show in his creations. You can find examples of his humor in the
Bible, too. Consider the donkey who spoke to Balaam after being struck three
times because he would not move toward the angel of God that Balaam could not
see. (Numbers 22:28) God chose a pretty unusual vehicle to use to address
Balaam. Why didn’t he just make that angel visible to Balaam? Perhaps because
it would have been a whole lot less interesting, and funny, if you ask any
third-grader.
Or how about where
Jonah ended up when he didn’t do what God asked. (Jonah 1:17) I mean putting a
grown man in the belly of a whale, then giving the giant mammal indigestion so
he’d spit Jonah out. You have to admit that’s got some humor in it. And when a
petulant Jonah went to sulk after the Nineveh-ites repented, God made a giant
plant bloom tall enough to shade Jonah from the sun. Then He sent a worm to
kill the plant so it withered and died. (Jonah 4: 6) I can just see that plant
blooming in time-lapse cartoon animation as Jonah sighs with relief when the
shade hits him, then groans in despair as the plant withers around him. Yes,
there was a lesson in both of those acts, but they both make pretty humorous
stories.
And then there is
the story of the Philistines capturing the Ark of the Covenant and placing it
in their temple beside their god Dagon. (1 Samuel 5:1-5).)
Not once, but twice, God laid Dagon on the floor, prostrate before the Ark of
the Covenant. The Philistines probably
didn’t think it was too funny seeing their god on the floor in front of the
Israelite’s Ark of the Covenant, but I bet the Israelites did when they heard
the story. And the humor gets even better because the Philistines gave the Ark
to other cities, that ended up with plagues being visited upon them. Once word
got around about what had happened, the Philistines couldn’t pawn the Ark off
on anyone. They ended up having to take it back to the Israelites with an
offering of golden images of the plagues the Lord brought upon the various
towns. Another lesson, but one in which
those watching from the outside see humor.
Proverbs 17:22
says,” A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the
bones.”
I don’t know about
you, but I’d always prefer a good laugh and a joyful spirit over dried bones.
That’s the thing about humor, no matter what your circumstances in life, if you
can find something to laugh about, you’re always better off.
Maybe that’s why
humorous stories appeal to me. I hope romantic comedies appeal to you as well
and that you’ll enjoy my sweet, romantic comedy, with a touch of drama, A
Groom for Mama. In spite of
the trying circumstances surrounding Mama, Allison, and Jack, they, too, find
humor in the situations they find themselves in and discover the joyful heart
that overcomes a crushed spirit. Here’s a peek at the story.
A Groom for Mama
By Catherine Castle
Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find
a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service
of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.
The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious
with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to
admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a
cure for her terminal illness.
A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of
disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For
Mama.
Excerpt:
When Allison
returned, Mama had all the prospective husband papers spread out across the
kitchen bar, poring over them as if her life depended on making a decision.
As she slid out the
bar stool, Allison scooped the papers into a pile with her free hand. “Don’t
bother, Mama. We don’t have time to make a date before your appointment at the
clinic in Cleveland. I’ve got one of the best cancer doctors there lined up to
examine your case. We’ll be there for a couple of weeks, at least.”
Mama sifted through
the papers and scooted a profile toward Allison. “Then let’s make a date with
this man. He’s got a restaurant in the Cleveland area. You’ve got to eat, so
you might as well make the best of it.”
“Will Matteson. Restauranteer.”
“Restauranteer?” Mama echoed. “Is that a
word?”
Pointing to the
word on the paper, Allison grimaced. “He must think it is.” Then she crumpled
the paper and tossed it into the trash can. “The word is restaurateur. I can’t
stand people who make up words. Besides, we won’t have time for dates. There
are going to be a battery of tests on you, and I want to be there the whole
time.”
“Then choose
someone else,” Mama said as she grabbed another paper, “because I’m not going
anywhere until you do.”
Allison eyed her
mother, who straightened her back ramrod stiff and returned the glare. Allison knew
the pose and there was no getting around it. Sighing, she retrieved the profile
from the trash. “Okay, okay. I’ll call Jack and tell him to set up a date with
this guy while we’re in Cleveland. But you’re coming with me when I meet him.”
Mama blinked. “What
will he think of you dragging your mother with you on your first date? It’s
inappropriate.”
“Meeting a stranger
for dinner, in another state, all alone, is inappropriate. You come, or I don’t
go.”
Grinning, Mama
handed her the telephone. “Deal.”
Want to read more?
Check out A Groom for Mama at Amazon.
About The Author:
Multi-award-winning
author Catherine Castle has been writing all her life.
Her debut
inspiration romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing was an ACFW
Genesis Finalist, a 2014 EPIC finalist, and the winner of the 2014 Beverly
Hills Book Award and the 2014 RONE Award. Her most recent release, A
Groom for Mama, is a sweet
romantic comedy from Soul Mate Publishing.
Both books are available on Amazon.
Social Media Links:
Catherine’s
website: https://catherinecastle1.wordpress.com
Catherine’s
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/catherinecastle
Catherine’s
Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7085414.Catherine_Castle
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