I like to have fun! I love a good belly laugh. But what is fun? Do you ever ask yourself what is fun? I’m not against humour or laughing but how often do I use the word ‘fun’, as though it were really something to strive for…something that is really important. I don’t think God meant for us not to have fun- He is the God of celebration after all! The Bible is full of stories where great celebrations have occurred. The Jewish people are commanded to celebrate their exodus from Egypt…David danced… Jesus even turned water into wine whilst at a wedding! But is this different to what I say when I use the word, fun? Is fun something I should be working toward, desiring, or striving for? Is it a word that I should be using regularly or would I be better off using (and practising) such nouns as ‘happy’ and ‘joy’? Is the seemingly preoccupation with fun more prevalent today than in generations past? We love reading older books (written pre 1950’s) and ‘fun’ just isn’t mentioned as often as in the more modern books…or am I wrong?
Websters 1828 dictionary has this entry:
FUN, n. Sport; vulgar merriment. A low word.
Wow…kinda puts a different spin on it uh? Of course, the word fun’ isn’t found in the older versions of the Bible…so I won’t go there.
Happy:
1. Lucky; fortunate; successful.
2. Being in the enjoyment of agreeable sensations from the possession of good; enjoying pleasure from the gratification of appetites or desires. The pleasurable sensations derived from the gratification of sensual appetites render a person temporarily happy; but he only can be esteemed really and permanently happy, who enjoys peace of mind in the favor of God. To be in any degree happy, we must be free from pain both of body and of mind; to be very happy, we must be in the enjoyment of lively sensations of pleasure, either of body or mind.
3. Prosperous; having secure possession of good.
4. That supplies pleasure; that furnishes enjoyment; agreeable; applied to things; as a happy condition.
5. Dexterous; ready; able.
6. Blessed; enjoying the presence and favor of God, in a future life.
7. Harmonious; living in concord; enjoying the pleasures of friendship; as a happy family.
8. Propitious; favorable.
How about ‘joy‘?
1. The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; that excitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by success, good fortune,the gratification of desire or some good possessed, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exultation; exhilaration of spirits.
2. Gayety; mirth; festivity.
3. Happiness; felicity.
4. A glorious and triumphant state.
5. The cause of joy or happiness.
6. A term of fondness; the cause of you.
JOY, v.i. To rejoice; to be glad; to exult.
JOY, v.t. To give joy to; to congratulate; to entertain kindly.
1. To gladden; to exhilarate.
2. To enjoy; to have or possess with pleasure, or to have pleasure in the possession of.
Just some thoughts that randomly roam through my mind… maybe I’m just too serious? But I’ve often felt a little guilty and yet envious of those who have more fun. I’ve wished I was more ‘funner’…and there is place for that, but not before joy, peace, happiness, contentment, assurance, etc. What do you think?
Yeah, I think I’m kind of too serious also…I love the definition of Joy that says “a glorious and triumphant state”. That’s what I love! It’s better than fun! Fun relies on some sort of outside stimulus or circumstances. Joy is birthed from the inside! Yippee!
That is so cool,
What I reckon is that fun is kinda an inward/exclusive looking action (almost bordering on selfish) can breed selfish attitudes and an inability to want to STOP!! (sometimes)…..
Happiness and joy are inclusive and are expansive and “include” others or God, their desires and needs etc
A dad may not be really having “fun” when taking kids to an adventure playground BUT does actually have fun and is happy coz it is BEING with the kids that is the joyful fun part….
I have been to Fun/Theme/Amusement parks with my kids (just letting you know I am not legalistic about these things) but have found it kinda empty at the end of the day……I had more fun meeting with you Susan when we had coffee or meeting with my gorgeous friend who I have known for 20 years and watch our 9 combined chn play and have a good chat and laugh…….more fulfilling???
In saying that what is FUN about Amusement Parks etc is we do it TOGETHER!!!
Very thought provoking…..thanks Susan (kiss to you)
Oooh oohh can I “steal” or link this to my alethia blog???
Thanks gals, for going with me and helping me to think through this a little more. Yeah, I’m not against fun per se…but I spend a little time in the Christian blogosphere and Christian homeschool blogosphere and it has been hitting me lately – how much we seem to strive for *fun*.
As I wrote, I think the reason I struggle with it is that I’m not naturally a fun-seeking person. I could take it or leave it. Fun it fleeting. Fun is temporary. Fun seems to be self serving.
But joy! Contentment! happiness! These are within the heart- they are attitudes. They aren’t reliant upon external (as Marissa said), they are internal.
So then, what or how does this affect what I teach my children? Heaps! I need to teach them that fun has its place…that fun is different from joy. I need to teach them all this as I learn it.
hmm, thanks lovely ladies!
Oh, I love this post!
Now, you know me, I like to laugh. But one of my biggest bugbears (well, maybe not my biggest, there are so many to choose from that I get carried away at times…) anyway, the idea that my children must be entertained really bothers me.
Entertainment? In my mind, you can have fun while working. You can make fun to cheer others, but entertainment? I think for me that concept is right up there with what you are trying to express about “fun”. Not that I don’t indulge in entertainment at times. While most of what I read is educational at some level, there are times (especially during stress) when I am after pure mind candy. I equate that with the concept of fun you are speaking of – just a mindless waste of time, really.
I haven’t made much sense in this post, just rambling out my thoughts. Sorry for not putting more thought into making it coherent, but I am a bit brain scrambled today!
Nodding along…
I think back to Old Testament times and the Hebrews. I wonder if they sought out ‘fun’ as much as we do? Why can’t working together on a project be fun?
I saw a fairly new website today and it is authored by some favourite homeschooler writers of mine. I guess I was a little surprised to see that the site is all about amusing the children within lessons and putting some fun in the lessons. I guess there’s nothing wrong in it per se but over the years I’ve just gotten a bit ‘over the whole lesson thing’.
I’d much prefer to just tackle our English, Maths and Science as a discipline. It doesn’t have to be fun in order to be learned. What will happen if our children hear the message that learning must be fun? What happens to them once they get in the outside working environment…where working is not fun?
Society is so intent upon entertainment and fun that we’re really missing out on the value and benefit of old fashioned, plain, hard work! In fact, hard work makes the fun even more funner! :rotfl:
learning can be fun and often it is fun…but surely that shouldn’t be the goal? Fun lessons? 🙄
BB thanks for your comment. No worries that you think you sounded incoherent…most of my posts are incoherent, but ya’ll keep readin’ 😉
I tried to do one of those unit study methods were everything was reinforced with some huge involved hands on activity. I realized that for my kids at least, they were getting to where if it wasn’t crafty or hands on, they just weren’t interested. They got spoiled on learning always being “fun”. We ask the Lord for help to persevere, to increase our wisdom and understanding – and He can use this to strengthen us.
I think fun and entertainment can become a source of comfort that we turn to instead of finding it in God.
Good point Marisa. I really enjoy reading your blog 🙂