Listen {and keep your mouth shut}

Thank you for making me laugh today

you took me by surprise

Thank you for catching me down at the mouth

You ambushed me with delight. ~My Best Remedy, by Christa Wells

I hum along but tears prickle my eyelids as I press bread dough into pans. I think how many times I could have laughed today, but didn't. How often delight escaped me because I didn't stop for just. one. minute.

And I think how very much Christa Wells knows the heart of a mama, because she is one, too.

They breeze in through the back door right off the kitchen, smelling of winter and sun and yes, that would be dirt. Daddy and his youngest, the words bubbling from two-year-old lips, nonsense, but my husband laughs and swings his baby through the air. He's listening anyway.

And I turn from sliding dough into the oven and I say, Listen, for if there's anyone who knows my mama's heart the deepest, it's him. Listen to these words, can you? I know Little Man is clamoring for his daddy but I think he can wait a moment and I press play and wipe counters.

Thank you for standing outside my head

‘til I came out to you

You forced me to wash my face in the fresh air

and step my feet in the dew.

My heart hears and my soul answers and I whisper prayer into the suds and I turn to see his face, see his response.

But they're playing. And talking. And his face is alight at Little Man's jabbering and suddenly they tackle and wrestle, laughing and shouting and my brow furrows as I turn back to the sink. Did he completely forget that I just asked him to listen? I think, sighing and scrubbing harder.

But just when scalding words begin to bubble out from thirty-three-year-old lips, I hear

Be here tomorrow when I awake

come running for a dance

Mischievous angel you’ve taken your place

in my heart at last.

And I watch them chase and slide on the floor planks, Little Man shrieking and Daddy laughing and suddenly they're out of my sight but now I really see.

I wanted him to listen to the words, he just wants to live them. How much better he does this than me, anyway! Who really needs to do the listening around here?

And I smile while hands plunge deeper and (wisely, for the first time today) keep my mouth shut and soul-sing with Christa,

Amazing amazing

I’ll take your medicine

anytime

you are my best remedy.

And I dry my hands and raid the resident princess's dress up box to twirl a cape onto my shoulders, wand in my hand and smile on my face and I slide across planks to find the delight sitting under my nose all along.

I just needed to listen.

A wife, mama, and poet, Christa Wells' music has ministered to me so much this past year. Her album, Frame the Clouds, is my worship music of choice these days- perhaps consider a listen to some songs here and be blessed as well?