My precious Terry had never seen Steel Magnolias. Considering this is in my top ten favorite movies, we recorded it and watched it recently.
I have seen this movie at least 100 times, and have most of it memorized. Yet I cry, every single time.
Every. Single. Time.
And I’m not talking a tear here and there.
Nope. I’m talking about sobbing. Ugly crying. But as you well know, there is also laughing. Deep laughter. Overall, there is more laughter than tears in this movie, but it is known for being a tear-jerker. I love the story of friendship, though. I have my own group of Steel Magnolias, and cannot imagine living life, without them.
Among many of my favorite lines: “Ouiser, you sound almost chipper. What happened today, you run over a small child or something?” - Clairee. Spoiler alert if you have not seen the movie by now, but Ouiser actually has a soft spot for people. You just have to peel back the layers of onion to get to it. The ladies constantly rallied around Ouiser and I have to believe their joy was contagious.
“He will once again fill your mouths with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” - Job 8:21 (NLT)
I love how you see Ouiser’s good side as the movie unfolds, rather than just her snarky personality. You have to believe it is because she associates herself with these women who are, overall, joyful. Even after teasing at Ouiser’s expense, Clairee tells her, “Ouiser, you know I love you more than my luggage.” I’m guessing in the 80s, luggage was a pretty big deal. I was too young to appreciate this line back then.
Even after the devastating loss of Shelby, the pain and anguish felt during the graveside scene of the movie, laughter followed.
I have a note in my bible along the margin of this passage in Job from years ago, and I remember thinking, “Will you truly fill my mouth with laughter and my lips with shouts of joy?”
Friends, I know this season feels like laughter and joy are a long, long way away. But joy is Jesus. Joy is a gift in spite of our circumstances, because we know the end. Spoiler alert … the enemy always loses. It might not come tomorrow, but our eternity where we will walk and dwell with God? That’s our promise of joy. I am resting in the knowledge that my joy is found in Jesus.
And even though times are terrible right now for our world? It’s okay to laugh. It’s okay to smile. It’s okay to find reasons to be happy. In fact, we should be doing all of those things. We need to show the world, “This will pass. Our joy is found in Jesus!”
Steel Magnolias is a wonderful reminder … we can have joy through tears.