“How was your Christmas?” I asked my friend. It had been a while since we’d caught up on life.
“Actually…” she paused. “It was a little sad. As soon as we opened presents, my kids went off to do their own thing and hang out with their friends. I just sat in the living room, sad it was over.”
Our conversation that day went on to other things, yet her words have continued to resonate. My friend’s kids are in high school, while my own children are 9, 7, and 3. Yet in ten short years, I’ll have three teenagers.
I won’t always see dolls casually propped up at my dining room table as though they’re real people, waiting for a meal. I won’t get invitations to tea parties or impromptu carnivals in their bedroom. I won’t always have kids creeping into my room at night for “just one more hug,” and I won’t be asked to play Little People or dress their Barbie for a dance.
I know change is inevitable, yet I ache inside at the thought of losing these precious moments.
Psalm 90:12 (NIV) says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Numbering our days sounds like an onerous task, doesn’t it? But if you do the math, you’ll realize that from birth to graduation, most parents have 936 weeks with their child. That sounds like a lot. However, my oldest daughter is 9, and I’ve only got 497 weeks left.
When you think about it that way, numbering our days can help us slow down and pause. Rather than griping over the mess of our everyday life, we can choose to be grateful for what we’ve been given. True, godly wisdom helps us to realize the ephemeral nature of this life—and revel in it.
Lord, help me to delight in the everyday. Teach me to glory in the mundane and cherish the smallest details of this life. Help me to use my time wisely—starting today.
1 comment
I don’t have children but what a great reminder to make each day count. Some days are just meant for stillness with God. Other days I share sweet quality time with friends or family. But they are all important and to be cherished!