Friday, November 07, 2008

Redeeming the Time

On Wednesday the kids and I rushed through some bookwork because my sweet friend Jo wanted to have the kids for the day. She is such a blessing! She loves the kids and spoils them, but I think keeps 'em in line, too. God has blessed us with so many friends over the years who love our children and invest in their lives. I so wish that the kids were closer to their grandparents, but that isn't the case right now, and we see God's faithfulness and care through other 'family' in Christ. After dropping the kids off I headed home to tackle some projects. I finished cleaning the carpets (thanks, Dawn, for lending your spiffy new carpet cleaner!) and did some odds and ends around here.

Several weeks ago, the kids' bathroom stool broke, but I haven't been able to bring myself to trash it. I was straightening up in our closet when I saw it and pulled it down from the shelf. Four (only four!) little footprints document the fleeting moment when Keely was 6, Noah 4, Lily 2, Rowan, just a baby. So many days seem like a race to keep a handle on life from the moment my feet hit the floor. While I am plugging through dishes and laundry and schooling and cooking and disciplining...the kids are growing.

Some time ago in Sunday School we were discussing the verses in the Bible that compare our life to breath and grass that lasts only for a season. Some of the women seemed to think these verses were a little depressing. To me, they are motivating! Our time, our opportunity to do good and serve God and love others is limited, so we have to get busy! Oh, how I want to remember the brevity of our time here on earth every day. I want that 'heart of wisdom' that keeps the little things that trouble me in perspective.


I decided not to throw the stool away. Instead, I'm going to hang it in my closet as a reminder to redeem these fleeting days.
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Postscript: The kids and I went to Wal-Mart this morning, and it got pretty wild toward the end. The lady checking me out gave me the evil eye and I felt embarassed that the kids were all over the place. A bag of coffee that I had in my cart somehow got a hole in it and spilled all over the floor by the check-out counter...and at one point Joseph was licking it off the floor. I know. I tried to remember the stool with the footprints on it...but all I could think of was how I look forward to calmer trips to the grocery store. :)

5 comments:

Liz said...

I have to giggle b/c I soooo understand those trips to Walmart. You'll have to go back in the archives on my blog. I distinctly remember a post VERYYYY similar to this one during the Sept 26 to Oct 4 timeframe. Larry was in Romania. It includes the video to a country song "You're Gonna Miss This". I'll find the link & come back here & post it to your comments on this post.

Liz said...

Found it! You'll have to turn off my music player at the bottom of the blog to watch the video on the post, though. http://liz-ourblessedfamily.blogspot.com/2008/09/sat-sept-27.html

Candice said...

That was a sweet video! I know everyone who has kids has had those 'out-of-control' moments, but when you are in the middle of one, you feel so conspicuous!

Anonymous said...

Candice- I grew up with Kevin and Mandy on Seminole Ct. in Bryan. We had many memorable years together and I admired their family for many reasons, but primarily because you could tell they loved each other so much. I enjoy reading your blog and trying to grasp what it would be like to have 6 kids (we have 2 and 1 on the way). I have told Kevin that I think you 2 are amazing parents with very well-rounded kids and through your posts I "see" that same love. Keep up the good work and I'll keep reading.

Trevor Burt

Candice said...

Thank you for the kind comments, Trevor! I am blessed to have married into such a neat family. Congratulations on your new little one to come!