fun-1

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?