The funny thing about photographs is that you can't change them. You can't give yourself a new haircut in that high school picture. You can't take that boy's arm from around your shoulder. You can't put a smile on your face back at Aunt Lucy's birthday party. You can't remove the scrape on your daughter's head from where she fell down the stairs on picture day. You can't paint the walls of that ugly little first house. And you can't change the memories that are a part of them. You can't change what happened in those photos, or what happened before or what happened after. Most of us wouldn't want to.
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| One of those One-Shot Moments I'd never change! |
There are days that I am so tired, I would like to put the kids straight into bed. But story time, the telling of our "favorite part of the day," and prayer is one of the best bonding times that we have. Some days I feel that I would rather read my Bible in peace, but I know the importance of letting my children see me studying God's Word. Some days I am so worn out from their antics that I want to give up and just say "whatever," but I know that the lack of consistency would be damaging to the discipline of my child. I will get very real with you right now: some days I don't want to give up myself and the things I want to do in order to serve and be the mother of my family. On those days, my husband and I always just tell ourselves that this is our only shot. One day I will be old, my house will be perfectly clean because no children will live there; I will have time to read as many books as I want; I will have money to buy my extra goodies because I won't have to buy clothes, diapers, cleats, notebooks, milk...I will get to travel as much as I want because I won't have children I am leaving behind. But the main thing there is...I won't have children. They will be gone. This is our one shot to raise them. However we raise them is how they will be raised. The memories we make with them right now are the memories we will have left. The relationships we form with them will determine whether they come back to visit regularly and bring the beautiful grandbabies, and call, and write. And the spiritual walk we lead them on right now will determine the spiritual road they take as adults. And we've only got one shot.
I use the example of children because this is what is my passion and priority, but this principle applies to every moment of every woman's life, with or without children. This is your one shot at today. What are you going to do with it?
Well first of all...I can't read this from crying:) Thanks friend!Good piece of writing..everday we have opportunities..and like you said..what will we do with them. Even the so called "easy" things like paying attention to the little ones tell a story,for the eight time about the same thing..or reading to them...or whatever, when you really want to read alone or have your own times to "think". Turns out these "easy" things are sometimes the hardest.Motherhood may not be a "world altering decision" or "running a company" or whatever the world deems as so important...but in reality..it is so so important and tough!YOU( God through you rather) are molding hearts and minds..YOU are teaching right from wrong..YOU are balming hearts and raising up a generation...for the better or for the worse. The question is..will we be intentional in doing so? In motherhood, or wherever the season of life is.Will we put ourselves aside when it calls for it(most of the time) and rise to the occasion? Whether getting milk for the little ones when you just sat down after a long day...or listening to that story just "one more" time...or in leading in church...it is all the same. I join you Nicole in trying to be more intentional in using our shots for the better:)<3
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ashley! I think it is a constant reminder for all of us...I always tell Micah, I just don't want any wasted time. I want to look back on my life and see that I ran that race well, you know? Thanks for that input, sister! I love your heart!
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