Jesus, I’m almost blushing as I say this prayer – and this is for your ears only – but thank you for the comedy genius of sitcoms. After a hard day of teaching, it’s really relaxing to plop down on the couch with my wife and just laugh for those 23 minutes. After eight seasons on NBC, it looks like Niles is finally going to tell Daphne he loves her, and the writers have milked that punch line delightfully for our entertainment.
I realize and confess that not every Hollywood ideal matches up with heaven’s principles, and that we occasionally see a joke or absorb some cynicism that’s a pothole on our journey toward home. But most of the time, our DVD compilations bring healthy chuckles and a warmhearted appreciation for the innocent foibles and the tender angst of our human condition. Even you, the Great Physician, once wrote on your prescription pad that laughter is good medicine for the soul.
So thank you for the gift of creative minds and hard-working people who strive to tell good and cheerful stories. Just please help us to stick to no more than an hour and a half even of clean TV laughter, Lord. We’ve got chores to do too.
David B. Smith Books 