Laughing With...and Learning With

Please read these lyrics written by Regina Spektor.

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one's laughing at God when it's gotten real late and their kid's not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake
No one's laughing at God when they see the one they love hand in hand with someone else and they hope that they're mistaken
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door and they say "We've got some bad new, sir,"
No one's laughing at God when there's a famine, fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke

God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize that the last sight they'll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one's laughing at God when they're saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke

God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one's laughing at God in a hospital
No one's laughing at God in a war

No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
We're all laughing with God

No one is laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor. This line resonated with me when I heard this song for the first time on the radio the other day. It brought to mind the warmth and recognition of presence I felt the minute I walked into the community on the Downtown Eastside. I started volunteering with Potters, a hole in the wall that provides for the people in every way possible. And, as much as I was serving them, they were truly teaching me.

Potters has had a very special place in my heart and this song and this blog post are devoted to all the memories that I have had the honour to be a part of at the Mission that relentlessly serves a community that is starving yet eager to embrace their recognition of the prevalence of evidence of our Creator. It rendered me speechless but ultimately reminded me that agnosticism is lost in times of need. The sheer raw depth to humanity that Regina Spektor presents is astounding. The simplicity of the message hits so far home I recommend just looking it up on YouTube. Does a better job than I ever could. Kudos to Regina.