Smile awhile

As a pastor, I notice the faces of people in the congregation. Some are bright and excited and some are expressionless. Your face really is a barometer of your true self. Your face will tell on you if you are stressed or relaxed. Your face will tell if you are happy or sad. Since my face is going to be such a tattle tale, I had better figure out what excites me so that I don’t bring other people down when I meet them. Mediocrity and gloom can be contagious but so are smiles and joy. I guess the question I am really asking this morning is, “What really excites you?” Surely there must be something that gets your mind moving in a positive direction. Those are the things that you should make an attempt to bring to the front of your thought pattern this morning. Think of things that make you smile. People will wonder what you know that they don’t, but you’ll make some of them smile too.

Did you know?

A smile is a universal expression of happiness and recognized as such by all cultures
A smile is the most frequently used facial expression. It takes as few as five pairs of facial muscles and as many as all 53 to smile
Smiling releases endorphins and makes us feel better
Even 'faking' a smile can lead to feeling happier
People are born with the ability to smile (even blind babies smile)
Babies reserve special smiles for their loved ones
A newborn shows a preference for a smiling face over a non-smiling face

There are 18 different kinds of smiles used in a variety of social situations
Human beings can differentiate between the 'felt' smile and the social smile – 'it's in the eyes' (literally)

Here is an old chorus we used to sing in church:

Smile a while and give your face a rest
Stand up straight and elevate your chest
Stretch your hands up to the sky
While you watch them with your eye
Limber up and turn around a bit
As you were before and now you sit
Reach right out to someone near
Shake her hand and smile