Savoring Moments - Natalie Gibb
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
Lately it has pressed heavy on my heart how fast time ticks by on this planet. You always hear people say when your babies are little, “Be careful! It goes faster than you think!” If you’re like me you thought yeah, yeah I just want a night of decent sleep! It can go as fast as it would like! But now that I am a mom of an eighth grader and third grader halfway through the year I have a totally different perspective.
Maybe it is the new, young mom’s I find myself surrounded by, or maybe it is the babies that I love to snuggle on Sunday mornings at church, but I miss MY babies! At the same time that I say that, my heart tells me to enjoy where we are at right now. It is a pretty cool season. My eighth grader is growing into a little man, one that I can have some pretty awesome conversations with. My third grader and his imagination, creativity and sense of humor always keep me on my toes. Baseball season is upon us and I am not sure there is anything I enjoy more than watching my youngest play ball. My oldest has taken up golf and it is so fun watching him develop new skills. So yes, I miss my babies, but I sure do enjoy the people they are turning into right before my eyes.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! Psalm 127:3-4
I have been convicted lately of how caught up I can become in my own life. We get busy and our schedules take over our mom brains. I think it is especially true of single motherhood. We are everything to everyone on most days, and we get weary and tired. Today I want to encourage you to stop and breathe. The time is going to keep ticking and the years are going to roll on. Don’t miss it! Don’t get caught up in the day to day and look up one day to realize they are graduating from high school and the busyness is gone, but so are they! Soak it up! Every last busy drop!
Today my oldest stayed home sick from school. At first I was slightly annoyed because it meant altering my already ordered day to include a doctor’s appointment that was not on the schedule. But then he fell asleep on the couch and I walked by and saw my little boy again. He was curled up under a blanket sleeping peacefully. In that moment I stopped and stared at him and it brought me to my knees in thanksgiving for this precious gift of motherhood. There are so many out there that never get to experience it. It really is such a sweet gift from our Heavenly Father. Needless to say after the doctor appointment we stopped for ice cream, because how many more moments in time will I get with him by myself? It was silly, fun, and just slightly out of character for me. I am the mom who insists on the rule: If you’re too sick for school, then you’re too sick for video games! So ice cream on a sick day? Not likely with this mom! Sometimes you have to throw the rulebook out the window and just enjoy the journey. Stop for the ice cream!
I know it is easier said than done. Many of you out there are working multiple jobs and trying to just get home before they are already in bed. I get it! All I am saying is that whatever time you have, invest it in them. They will bless you beyond your wildest dreams. And if you get a nugget of wisdom, or some creativity, or just a silly laugh out of your time with them…write it down or take a picture. The other day Jack asked me to throw the baseball with him right when I started making dinner. My first instinct was to say in a little bit, but I turned and looked at his face. We threw the ball out in the driveway for about 20 minutes until it got dark and I can tell you it was the best moments of my week. Treasure those memories in your heart for the harder days. I promise you they will get you through just about anything. Watch them sleep, pray over them, read to them, sing to them, snuggle with them, or just be silly with them. Five minutes of really plugging in will bring happiness to their hearts and water to your soul!
That is my wish for you today! Enjoy every step of the journey! All too soon this season will end and a new one with adult children will begin. I am sure it will be just as joyous and adventurous, but squeeze every drop of joy out of this season before you move on to the next. These are your people… your gifts… your inheritance from God. Celebrate that and build lasting memories and relationships with them.
I am praying extra measures of time for each of you tonight! May God grant you extra special moments with your little people and may you treasure all of it in your hearts forever!
But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2:19
Much love,
Natalie Gibb