carbonated joy

Growing up I was gifted with one of the most magical things an adventure seeking kid can possess…

A red Swiss Army Knife.

It was an amazing tool that gave me the opportunity to do great things.

I could whittle or clean my teeth.

Simply having it in my pocket made me feel safe and more manly. I could defend myself in a street fight or carve my initials into an innocent tree or school desk.

It was a knife but there was so much more.

There were amazing tools to behold…

There was a tiny little hacksaw that you could use to saw tiny little trees like a lumberjack.

There was a set of tweezers that could remove splinters or pinch your sister.

There was even a super handy toothpick that you had to remember to occasionally clean.

There was a can opener that could be used to open a big can of beans or Vienna sausages.

There was a screwdriver that could be used to build small engines, I suppose.

There was a corkscrew and scissors that could be used to defend oneself when attacked by wine bottles or construction paper.

I loved that knife. It made me feel equipped and confident.

I marched into the big scary world armed with my red Swiss Army Knife ready to take care of business.

I still have a Swiss Army Knife, it sits in my dresser next to some old ticket stubs.

But now, I have another weapon.

I am armed with another tool that makes me feel equipped and confident…

Joy is my Swiss Army Knife.

There are amazing tools to behold…

Love is a pointy blade that pops the ugly balloons of fear and hate.

Mischief is a can opener that can open up a big can of fun in the midst of funk. We should never forget the power of play. Play defeats pomposity.

Gratitude is a set of tweezers than help you separate and appreciate what is really important from what is not. You live thankful for what you have, instead of focusing on what you don’t have.

Peace is a toothpick that cleans the plaque from your mind. It removes the things that can make your soul sick. Peace comes from receiving and giving forgiveness, from refusing to hold onto offense.

Silliness is a corkscrew that wiggles and giggles and digs into our tendencies to take life too seriously. When the Creator designed us, He engineered our bodies to make some pretty interesting sounds and odors. Maybe, just maybe, that’s meant to be a built in reminder to not take ourselves too seriously.

Wonder is a pair of shiny scissors that cuts away the old and tired, and unleashes new ways of looking at life. It is discovering things anew that you have seen thousands of times.