Joke's On Me

My children have taken to joke telling, especially the three youngest. Driving around in the car, it's not uncommon to hear quips such as, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" "Because he wanted to (insert absurd behavior for chickens of all kinds) rock and roll."

I'm not sure where the "rock and roll" ending comes from, but I can tell you, it packs a real punch for the intended audience, who roars with side-splitting laughter until the joke is told...again.

The new favorite genre of joke, however, is the knock-knock. I don't know what deranged person invented these insipid gags, but if I ever find them, I've got a few knock-knocks of my own to share with them.

Suffice to say, on one of our recent trips to (and/or from) school, someone turned on the open mic, and knock-knock time started. Pained from having answered what felt like a million (although, in fairness to the children, it may have only been 999,999) gags, I was ready--oh was I ever ready!--to pull the plug on the next comedienne who approached the stage. Except that the jokester on deck was celebrating her birthday, and I couldn't shoot down the birthday girl. So, I gripped the steering wheel a little more tightly as she called out:

"Mommy, mommy! Knock-knock!"

"Who's there?" came my pained reply.

"Olive, mommy, OLIVE!" she squealed.

"Olive, who?" I replied sheepishly, knowing this well-worn joke all too well.

"Olive YOU! Get it? I LOVE YOU, Mommy!" and the car again erupted into peals of laughter.

Except this time, the loudest laugh of all was mine.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of laughter. Help me to remember to cherish the sound of joyous laughter from my children. To know that their laughter reflects only a glimpse of the abundance of joy that you bless us with each day. Amen.