Life Just Doesn't Stop
It amazes me when people say things like I'll get to it when I have more time or right now my life is too busy it'll be better in a couple of years. Not only are we not guaranteed tomorrow, as I get older one thing I realize is you don't have any more time today than you did yesterday. A major reason why time is so short and life is so busy is thanks to children. Our little girls are now 9 (Ariel) and 2 (Madilynn), both are at ages that require lots of individualized attention.
Ariel is at the point where she just wants to spend time with friends regardless of the hour and if she can't be with them then get ready to listen to her talk your ears off (just ask any member of my family). I really don't know where all the words she has to say comes from. We have to share her weekends with her biological dad, it's been tough but we have accepted it and God has let us know everything was going to be alright thanks to the bear he brought us (which if you ask me I'll explain what I mean). I say it's something we've accepted but it doesn't seem to be something either of the girls have. Ariel complains and groans when she has to go and Madi spends the entire weekend looking for "My Ariel" as she always seems to put it. Tomorrow Ariel will receive a "Terrific Student Award" and has asked that I go see her receive it, which of course I want to go, especially because my schedule permits me to go. Upon telling her I would be there she danced and jumped and attempted to do a new cheer thingy (oh just to make things busier Nichole is coaching her cheer leading squad which I think I'm looking more forward to then even they are... for the comedy that will be coming from Nichole of course.) But it's taking this time and making room in our schedules that is so important. Yes, I want her to grow and act a certain way, but if I don't go ahead and take the time today to show her how to live my chance will be gone, remember tomorrow will most likely be busier than today just like today was busier than yesterday.
Then there is Madi who is all about getting into anything and everything she can. We talk about how some kids fall into trouble and then some go looking for it, she is obviously the latter. This past Sunday she was playing in the Worship Center of the church we are part of and she escaped from Nichole's watchful eye. As soon as she got free she seemed to find the most dangerous thing she could and ran for it. She attempted to go swimming in the full church baptismal (for those of you who don't know we believe in immersion so this is an almost four foot deep pool). I searched for her everywhere close to the last place she had been spotted and then proceeded out from there. Thanks to God one of our friends happened to see something moving close to the baptismal water and grabbed her just as she got about waist deep. Needless to say constant attention and supervision must be paid to her at all times. Madi also has no desire to ever wear clothes other than shoes (she has an early shoe fetish she just loves going to shoe stores) and when she is clothing free she seems to gain super-human powers leaving us helpless in the pursuit of clothing her. But she also is at a place where she needs reassurance and building up and needs to see how proud we are when she does things right not just how irritated or upset we are when she does things wrong. And in a blink of an eye she will be Ariel's age and all this will just be a memory.
You know many of us ignore God in the same way we ignore our children. We tell him we don't have time or tomorrow will be better to spend time with Him and in this case just like with our kids WE ARE THE ONES MISSING OUT BY NOT MAKING TIME. I cuddled both girls at different times today and told them in different ways how I was proud of them and love them in much the same way as I was held and told how special I was by my heavenly Father today. Sure I might not have done everything right in His eyes but that wasn't what He decided to focus on. For those of us who are in Christ we have an example of how to be the ultimate parent. From Him we receive grace, peace and patience, grace always comes first. Do we give to our kids that which we have received? Don't get me wrong I am a horrible parent when compared to the Lord.
I guess what I'm getting at is life just doesn't stop, no matter who you are or what you have planned. If you have children let today be the day that show them how much you care. If you don't personally know my heavenly Father get to know Him today. Don't put off to tomorrow that which needs to be done today. Unfortunately, we as Americans tend to be a nation of procrastinators, but that doesn't mean we have to be. Go! Move! Do! Ariel and Madilynn Daddy loves you.
Ariel is at the point where she just wants to spend time with friends regardless of the hour and if she can't be with them then get ready to listen to her talk your ears off (just ask any member of my family). I really don't know where all the words she has to say comes from. We have to share her weekends with her biological dad, it's been tough but we have accepted it and God has let us know everything was going to be alright thanks to the bear he brought us (which if you ask me I'll explain what I mean). I say it's something we've accepted but it doesn't seem to be something either of the girls have. Ariel complains and groans when she has to go and Madi spends the entire weekend looking for "My Ariel" as she always seems to put it. Tomorrow Ariel will receive a "Terrific Student Award" and has asked that I go see her receive it, which of course I want to go, especially because my schedule permits me to go. Upon telling her I would be there she danced and jumped and attempted to do a new cheer thingy (oh just to make things busier Nichole is coaching her cheer leading squad which I think I'm looking more forward to then even they are... for the comedy that will be coming from Nichole of course.) But it's taking this time and making room in our schedules that is so important. Yes, I want her to grow and act a certain way, but if I don't go ahead and take the time today to show her how to live my chance will be gone, remember tomorrow will most likely be busier than today just like today was busier than yesterday.
Then there is Madi who is all about getting into anything and everything she can. We talk about how some kids fall into trouble and then some go looking for it, she is obviously the latter. This past Sunday she was playing in the Worship Center of the church we are part of and she escaped from Nichole's watchful eye. As soon as she got free she seemed to find the most dangerous thing she could and ran for it. She attempted to go swimming in the full church baptismal (for those of you who don't know we believe in immersion so this is an almost four foot deep pool). I searched for her everywhere close to the last place she had been spotted and then proceeded out from there. Thanks to God one of our friends happened to see something moving close to the baptismal water and grabbed her just as she got about waist deep. Needless to say constant attention and supervision must be paid to her at all times. Madi also has no desire to ever wear clothes other than shoes (she has an early shoe fetish she just loves going to shoe stores) and when she is clothing free she seems to gain super-human powers leaving us helpless in the pursuit of clothing her. But she also is at a place where she needs reassurance and building up and needs to see how proud we are when she does things right not just how irritated or upset we are when she does things wrong. And in a blink of an eye she will be Ariel's age and all this will just be a memory.
You know many of us ignore God in the same way we ignore our children. We tell him we don't have time or tomorrow will be better to spend time with Him and in this case just like with our kids WE ARE THE ONES MISSING OUT BY NOT MAKING TIME. I cuddled both girls at different times today and told them in different ways how I was proud of them and love them in much the same way as I was held and told how special I was by my heavenly Father today. Sure I might not have done everything right in His eyes but that wasn't what He decided to focus on. For those of us who are in Christ we have an example of how to be the ultimate parent. From Him we receive grace, peace and patience, grace always comes first. Do we give to our kids that which we have received? Don't get me wrong I am a horrible parent when compared to the Lord.
I guess what I'm getting at is life just doesn't stop, no matter who you are or what you have planned. If you have children let today be the day that show them how much you care. If you don't personally know my heavenly Father get to know Him today. Don't put off to tomorrow that which needs to be done today. Unfortunately, we as Americans tend to be a nation of procrastinators, but that doesn't mean we have to be. Go! Move! Do! Ariel and Madilynn Daddy loves you.
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