The "THPPPPPTT" Heard Around the World

It's one of those weeks I look forward to with an uplifted spirit and a strong sense of purpose. It's Operation Christmas Child Collection week! For several years I have packed a shoebox for some unnamed child on another part of this planet that I'll never meet, but for whom I wish great joy and happiness as they clutch that box and "own" its mysterious contents.
Last week we did our annual youth group field trip to Wal-Mart for our Operation Christmas Child shopping spree! This is how it works - we pool our money together and announce the grand total then figure out how many boxes we can do for "x" amount of dollars. That's the master formula I've devised. Feel free to use it. Armed with a shoebox list of "dos and don'ts", 20 of us strapped in behind our shopping carts and took off in all directions in search of the perfect shoebox goodies.
If you've ever done a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child you'll remember that there is an emphasis on personal hygiene items like soap, toothpaste and combs. There is also an emphasis on school supplies like paper and pencils. Then things like socks and washcloths get their spot in the box. You fill in the crevices with hard candy, flashlights and crayons. We got that stuff out of the way and we know it'll be used and appreciated. But along with the responsible stuff you've got to leave a little bit of room for those completely inane items who's sole purpose it is to make a kid speak in a language we all understand; laughter! As I was wheeling my cart down a toy aisle in search of the perfect yo-yo I met up with one of my groups. They were belaboring over a little basketball goal or a Slinky to add to their box; quite deliberate and thoughtful about the pros and cons of each. But then something overrode the basketball goal and Slinky. They spotted the rubbery red Whoopee Cushion and a whole new world of possibilities opened up! They looked at me waiting for a response. OF COURSE I gave the approving nod!! You could feel the Christmas Spirit whirling through the novelty toy aisle -- whizzing past Silly Putty, flying through Etch-a-Sketches and darting through decks of Old Maid cards. It wasn't the fact that it was a Whoopee Cushion - it was the fact that some kid in Concord, North Carolina bought that Whoopee Cushion knowing it was going to be sent a million miles away to some kid in Cantprounounceit, El Salvador. That kid was going to open up that box full of soap and socks and Colgate and find his very own Whoopee Cushion. Instinctively, he would know what to do with it; blow it up, stick it in his brother's chair and patiently wait for the "THPPPPPTT!!!!!!!!" Afterwards, there would be a burst of laughter that would be heard throughout the village. And just like here, some would laugh along, some would roll their eyes and some would want to hear it again. All because that kid in Concord, NC knew "that sound" makes everybody laugh and laughter is the sound that love makes. Make sure you leave room in the box for that. Thanks Ashton.

On your feet now—applaud God!
Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.
-- Psalm 100:1-2 (The Message)