It is a Friday evening and I am having a major “reflecting” moment. It has been a big week for us Crowder’s, lots of change provoking lots or gratitude in the heart of this mommy.
This week I sent my oldest off to high school after homeschooling her for the last 8 years and this week I pulled my youngest sons front teeth out, I realized that “every one is getting older!” I can hear the Fleetwood Mac ‘s song playing in my head all day long….”children get older, I am getting older too.” I want to yell STOP! At the perpetual ticking clock of time, but I know I can’t. So because I cannot, I will ask God the same question that the Psalmist asked, “teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” I want to constantly ask my Father, “what is important for this year, this month, this week, this day, this moment?” Where should I be investing my time and energy? What is the more important choice for this hour, cleaning the house or gathering my clan for a hike in the woods? Lord, where should my Yes’ lie and where should I state my No’s? Every moment counts, and for me, as a mother, it is a different “counting” than say Donald Trumps ambitious time equals money counting. I am ambitious in another matter of time and its value, family time equals the most valuable time! I want to be constantly sensitive to the importance of every moment, resting in His Grace and aware of what He has placed in front of me at each and every second, valuing every relationship that He has given me, especially the relationship with my husband and quickly growing children.
What a gift I have been given in seeing my children transition from phase to phase. I have been given a gift that highlights life and all its sweetness in little front teeth. It all hits you hard and magnified at the end of the day when you are reflecting on the precious days events of your last six year old loosing their last set of front teeth! I want to take those teeth and mount them on the wall for all the world to see, those little teeth would shout, “ LIFE IS SHORT! ENJOY IT!” It hits you even harder when you see your teenager all grown and beautiful as a young lady in a sea of other high schoolers, you think, “ seems like just yesterday she lost her front teeth!” And in the broad spectrum of time it was just yesterday! I know I cannot wallow in ridiculous semimetal memories of the days and times gone past, that is not the point of these milestone reminders. I am given these milestones to remind me how valuable every moment with these little’s are so I can embrace EVERYTHING with gratitude. It isn’t a wallowing in bittersweet memories that produces fruitful meaningful ways to spend your next hours and days, it is Wisdom highlighting what is important in the littleness of lost teeth.
I betcha! Any grandma or grandpa you pull aside to ask what is the most important thing at the end of ones life, will agree in their reflection of years gone past, that the most valuable and meaningful use of their time was the minutes, hours and years spent loving those close to them.
Relationships always out way any other duty and task set before us. I plan to invest hard and earnestly into my children, grabbing my high-schooler for a hug and being available for every question and any wonderful dialogue we get to have as mother and daughter.
I guess I will end this Friday evening by saying; Thank you Lord for front teeth, for teenagers in high school, for every moment you have given me with my kids!
This is a sweet story I found:
This is another good bit of wisdom sent from my 91 year old grandmother about what is important in life. A light, but meaningful read for your Sunday pleasure.
Original author unknown
Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
“Jack, did you hear me?”
“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It’s been so long since I thought of him. I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said..
“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisce about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it,” Mom told him.
“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.
“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence in your life,” she said
“He’s the one who taught me carpentry,” he said. “I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important… Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral,” Jack said.
As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.
Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture… Jack stopped suddenly.
“What’s wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.
“The box is gone,” he said
“What box?” Mom asked.
“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most,’” Jack said.
It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.
“Now I’ll never know what was so valuable to him,” Jack said. “I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom.”
It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. “Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days,” the note read.
Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. “Mr. Harold Belser” it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside.
“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It’s the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.
Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:
“Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser.”
“The thing he valued most was…my time”
Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. “Why?” Janet, his assistant asked.
“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said.
“Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!”
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.”
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