Monday, March 11, 2013

#TellHisStory: Guess What



Make a joyful noise, all the earth.  
Psalm 100:1

"Hey, guess what, Mom,"  my daughter turned to me in the car - big smile on her face.  We were on our way home from the commissary.

"I don't know, what?"  I thought I was playing our game - the one where the first person gets to say that's what with a big giggle.  But no, she had an answer.  A clear-as-a-bell, no Down-Syndrome-accent answer.

"I'm going to sing on the microphone tomorrow."  She means that she's going to sing with the praise band on the microphone at church...

I could barely reply to her, for laughing.  "Hey, guess what, Sierra..."  She looked over, full-on smile beaming, "You're not going to sing on the microphone tomorrow."  Emphasis on the not.  Then it was her turn to laugh.

Meet my girl.  Surface silly, emotion deep.  She's twenty-one, soon to be twenty-two (as she reminds me on a regular basis).  I've written before that she lives out loud - there are no secrets with Sierra.  The surprise is her sense of humor.  She was teasing me.

Ok, so there's a bit of a story behind this...

Music is huge to Sierra.  Her ipod has close to 2000 songs loaded on it - and they shuffle all day long for her.  She loves CMT, VH1, and American Idol.  She loves to perform.  She has a Sierra-sized, pink guitar, and of course, the requisite Garage Band instrument set.  When I hook up the karaoke machine (another story....), she's right there, karaoke-ing.   She air-guitars and drums in the car;   We can hear her singing with her headphones on, while she 'works' in the other room.  Did I mention that she lives out loud?

You would think, with all this playing and sharing and acting of music, you would think it would be ok for me to sing along to the radio every now and then.  Nope.  Sierra shushes me every time I start to sing.  And I sing ok.  Really.  I sing on key - I know the words - I have rhythm....   Really.  But every time I start to sing along - there's Sierra.  She either shushes me, or she tells me it's too hard for me, or she starts punching the air around me in annoyance.  It's annoying to me...

Of course, my rebel kicks in and I start to sing more, louder, and off-key.   I turn the music up.  And eventually I get her to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.  But, honestly, it kind of hurts my feelings...

So, we're driving to the commissary, and I start singing along with the radio, and Sierra tells me to stop singing - and I turn the radio off and have a conversation with her.  I tell her that I love music as much as she loves music.  I tell her that I love to sing along with the songs just like she does.  I tell her that it hurts my feelings when she always shushes me.  And I tell her that I love her, anyway, even though my feelings have been hurt.  She turns her head away - I know she's processing something that she doesn't want to hear.

We run our errands - gas for the car, grocery shopping.  And now we're on our way home.  The radio is on.  I'm singing along, and for once, Sierra is not trying to get me to stop.  Instead, I hear, "Hey mom, guess what...."

I suppose I''m going to have to consider a way to get her on that microphone at church someday...

Thank you, God,  for the gift of my daughter and her sense of humor.  Thank you for her guidance toward joy.

Linking with Jennifer at TellHisStory

** Note:  I've been slammed-busy with a long-term substitute position for a woman who could really use some prayers for healing, strength, and peace.  I miss writing, and I miss this community.  Today's post is from my archives.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for prayers.

8 comments:

  1. Our kids amazing sense of humor can get us through some hard times! My pair are a bunch of giggles. I'm sure you're a delightful singer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Helene, yes, it's the sense of humor that gets me every time with my daughter...whereEVER did she get it??? I think enjoying our kids is one of God's gifts to us - especially the giggles! Thanks for the sweet encouragement. Janet

      Delete
  2. Dear Janet
    Kids!! I have two sons who were at one stage the drummer and base guitarist in the band at church. I also have a good voice and started singing lessons. I loved to sing Sarah Brightmann's stuff and practiced mostly when I was ironing. Oh, they complained so much with my husband's help, of course that I gave up the singing lessons just to have peace in the house again.
    Blessings XX
    Mia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mia - it sounds like you have a musical family! What a price for peace, though - right? Just tell them God said to make a joyful noise - you happen to call it singing - and keep on! I'll bet you've got a beautiful voice! I'm glad you stopped by. Janet

      Delete
  3. I've missed you and glad you are sharing from your archives. Such a beautiful post Janet. I pray you are able to get your daughter behind that microphone -- what a joyous sound it would be!! Oh and your dog looks just like my dog Drake! Much love to you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Beth - Thanks - I've missed being here, and it looks like it'll be a little while still.... But - I DID get her up to the microphone at the church we attended when we were stationed at Ft Campbell. They had a great praise band and called her up to do that old song "Pharoah Pharoah". She knew the whole service, so at the end of the song, she stayed on the microphone and told everyone to 'greet their neighbor...'. You should have seen the pastor's face...

      So you have a huge galoopa dog, too?? Hugs.
      Janet

      Delete
  4. Janet, I LOVE this post. I am smitten with your daughter and her sense of humor. So glad you retrieved this one from the archives. It was such a treat to read it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jennifer - your words mean a lot. Sierra is definitely a funny girl - and her timing is impeccable! She's taught me more about joy than I could have ever imagined. :-)

      Delete

I know we probably haven't met in person, but I believe that the sharing of our ideas and thoughts, sometimes our hearts and souls, makes us more than strangers. I would like to say friends. Thank you for taking the time to contribute to my little space - I appreciate you.