The Sound of Silence

Musings of a Mentor Mom

Joyful Noise

originally published by Hearts at Home magazine

June 1999

Lindsey & Carissa

Silence.  

The house was too quiet.  I had become so engrossed in my phone conversation that I had forgotten to listen for the children.  With five children under six years old, the house should never be this quiet.

When I answered the telephone that afternoon, I was surprised to hear Lisa's voice.  We had been friends for 11 years, but lived 1200 miles apart.  Our friendship had been strained for the past several years, as she and her husband had desperately tried to conceive a child, while Jim and I had been blessed with five babies in four years.

I immediately sensed excitement as Lisa told me why she had phoned:  she was pregnant.  We thanked God.  We talked for nearly an hour.  She knew I had learned a lot the past five years, and she wanted my help as she joined the sorority of motherhood.

When I suddenly noticed the silence, I continued visiting on the cordless phone as I searched the house for the children.  Gregg (5), Cassie (4), and Jeremiah (3) were actually playing quietly in their bedrooms.  But, where were Carissa and Lindsey, the one year old twins?

Before I could panic, I heard giggles coming from the kitchen.  As I rounded the corner, all I could see were two bright pink faces.  The refrigerator door was wide open and the girls were covered from head to toe with the strawberry jello I had made just before the phone call.  They had eaten all of the banana slices and each of their little hands had runny jello squirting between their fingers.

I laughed, and tried to describe to Lisa the scene in my little kitchen.  Welcome to motherhood, Lisa!  We hurriedly said our good-byes and I turned to the girls.  What now?

I ran to find my camera, then picked up their slippery pink bodies and plopped them into either side of the white kitchen sink.

As I scrubbed the refrigerator, the kitchen floor, and their cute pink faces, I reflected on what the Lord had been teaching me lately.  I used to crave a quiet house and time alone.  But God was teaching me to be content with the busyness and noise of motherhood.  I know that my house will be filled with joyful noise for many years to come.  But when the silence finally arrives, after the kids are grown and gone, I will probably miss this hectic time.

20+ Years Later . . .

Yes.  

My house has been filled with Joyful Noise for many, many years.  Now, we are on the downhill slide, away from the perpetual Joyful Noise.  In 2008, we had 11 of our 13 children living at home.  Just 4 years later, our house has gotten very quiet . . . as we "only" have 4 children left at home.  While there is definitely still a LOT of busyness and "noise" around the Big D. House, we most certainly miss the craziness of having all of the Big Kids home.

I hope that this has encouraged you to:

ENJOY the craziness . . . the busyness . . .  and the noise of Motherhood.

Next time you come upon an unexpected "mess" . . . 

grab your camera and have a good laugh.

While I will be sharing some of the same encouraging writings on both of my blogs, 

the focus of each blog will be very different.  I hope you will join me over at:  http://musingsofamentormom.blogspot.com .