National Days. They are often a fun and silly way of remembering things, perhaps celebrating them. For instance, today October 31st is –
National Knock Knock Jokes Day.
Seriously, who knew? You probably thought I was going to say something about Halloween. But no.
Knock knock jokes. Those silly and ridiculous jokes every kid loves to tell, and our family was no different.
The years of driving my son to elementary school were ones familiar to joke books. He always had one, or two, sometimes three joke books with him in the car. Other times, it was Calvin and Hobbs who took the ride with us.
Those were the years when children were permitted to sit in the front seat. He would read them all the way to school and laughter filled the car. I’m still not sure if I was laughing at the actual joke, or at the sheer sound of him laughing till he was wiping his eyes. Either way, the joke books took many a ride with us.
One silly tweet, and one national day, rolled together to make me realize – let’s love and laugh deeply.
Our children are now adults, married with children of their own. Talk with our children now surrounds politics, news events, and religion. We don’t always see eye to eye on everything. There are days I long for the knock knock jokes as they were way funnier than some of our adult discussions.
Today my heart is filled with appreciation for the “ministry” of knock knock jokes in our family. I am grateful for the rides in the car and the conversations held within our travels. My gratitude runs deep as I have never forgotten a teaching by Chuck Swindoll in which he encouraged parents to develop authenticity with their children.
Teaching our children the precepts of God will only happen in the everyday and ordinary goings on of life:
“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
You
shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when
you sit in your house
and when you walk by the way and when you lie down
and when you rise up.
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
(Deuteronomy 6: 6-9, NASB)
Our homes and our tables must be safe environments for relevant and needed conversations. Our words need to be grace filled and covered in love.
May our homes be slathered thickly in the love of Jesus
and rooted in His Word.
Where do your relevant and needed conversations take place as a family?
How I cherish those car ride discussions - the serious and the funny! And the boys' jokes! I still love to hear them laugh - and they do when they're all together! Those car rides were often Holy rides - so many important conversations in those cars! It's where I also learned to give the gift of silence! You are so right - it's so important to be authentic with your children - in the series and the silly! I'm grateful I get some of those car ride moments with two of my grandsons! Big and Little Conversations happening! Happy Knock Knock Joke Day!
ReplyDeleteMaryleigh, you described it best - "those car rides were often Holy rides." That they were and like you, I get some of those car moments with my granddaughters every once in a while :)
DeleteMy oldest had a joke book, too, and loved to read them to us. My middle son wouldn't open up if I tried to sit down with him and discuss something serious. But he would open up in the car.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing what can happen in a car ride! And around a joke book. I'm so grateful God was with us as we raised our children!
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It's amazing what can happen in a car ride! And around a joke book. I'm so grateful God was with us as we raised our children!
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