Here in Kansas, where we live, the leaves are turning beautiful shades and falling off the trees. Just last week, I was babysitting some little boys and we were playing outside. The area around their home was carpeted in leaves--ready for our enjoyment! We raked the leaves into huge piles, jumped in them, buried people underneath them, and threw leaves at each other. We had a blast! There was almost constant giggling, and no one was ready to go in when it was lunch time. (Except for the babysitter who had had enough leaves in her hair for one day!). Though such a simple thing, our time playing in the leaves brought such wholesome enjoyment. It also served to remind me of days gone by when I was a little girl. Every fall, my parents took us outside and played in the leaves with us. What happy memories!
While being chased by little boys with handfuls of leaves, I couldn't help but wonder how many other children were missing out on such pleasure. In this post-modern age of video games, daycare, fast food, TV dinners, and entertainment overload, have our children been deprived of some of those marvelous "old-fashioned" joys of life?
Almost a year ago, I donned a white dress and walked down a church aisle to pledge my love to the man of my dreams. In doing so, I exchanged one life for another. I am still my parents' daughter, but now I am also Jesse's wife. My childhood is over. I cannot relive those days, nor can my parents. There are no more bike rides to the ice cream store, no more wrestling matches with dad (okay, we only did that when we were little. When we got older, Dad started getting hurt, so the wrestling had to stop!), no more playing in the leaves, no more building snowmen or snow forts, no more piggyback rides, no more walks to the park.
Yes, my childhood is over, but I am so thankful I can look back on it with such happy memories. My parents took so much time for me and spent so much time with me. Instead of sitting me in front of the TV, we made forts in the basement or played with finger paint. Instead of sending me off to daycare, Mom read to us, sang with us, taught us finger plays, and took us to museums. Instead of fast food for dinner, we had home-cooked meals with homemade bread we'd helped knead or green beans we had picked from our garden. Looking back over my childhood, I won't tell you my parents were perfect, but I do know they always had time for us. They realized that more important than our involvement in sports, or their volunteering in the community, was that they took the time to teach, train, and enjoy their children.
Last week, a 19-year-old friend of mine died suddenly in a tragic car accident. Neither she nor her parents knew that Wednesday was her last day on this earth. Although we are grateful Rebekah is now in the presence of the Lord, we grieve that we no longer have an opportunity to spend time with her on this earth, and we are all reminded that our life is just a "vapor." While you still have it, take the time to invest in the lives of your children and those around you. Cherish each moment. You may not have many left.
You may be thinking, "But I just don't have the time." Make the time. Evaluate your life: What activities are you currently involved in that are not going to matter ten years from now? How about 100 years? Simplify your life. Get rid of clutter and make room for joy. Someday when your children are grown and gone, they are probably not really going to remember the presents you bought for them or the opportunities you allowed them, but they will remember the time you spent with them.
There are a lot of good things in life for one to devote time to--but only a few of those things are the best things. My parents chose the best, and I will always be indebted to them.
Don't let another priceless moment slip through your hands because you are "too busy." While you have the time, take the time.
Crystal Paine is a 23-year-old homeschool graduate and the owner of Covenant Wedding Source, LLC (an online retail bridal business). She writes articles on a variety of topics and recently authored her first booklet, The Merchant Maiden: Earning an Income Without Compromising Convictions. She lives with her husband in Topeka, KS. For more information on her business and booklet, visit her website:http://www.covenantweddingsource.com.
executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport carAs with everything, names go through cycles of change with... Read More
Using 14 "at" Flashcards To Teach Reading:This exercise helps your... Read More
Sex has a lot to answer for ? babies usually... Read More
Early childhood educators have called play "children's work". Many parents... Read More
Several similar terms describe the central attribute of a character... Read More
Saying no to our children is not always easy or... Read More
Many people consider plush toys great for children. They say... Read More
"Get down from the table top right now! What are... Read More
Thank you for all that you do in the classroom!... Read More
Q. We recently caught our son smoking pot, and we... Read More
Q. What is the best way to teach safety awareness... Read More
Being in a competitive world, the lowest qualification to secure... Read More
O.K. So now you have taken the step of having... Read More
One of the most prevalent problems of the computer age... Read More
As parents, we want our children and teens to grow... Read More
I have always been aware of my number one weakness:... Read More
It's funny how people seem to think that they have... Read More
The least flexible character in all of the stories of... Read More
LOS ANGELES (May 19, 2005) - With Memorial Day weekend,... Read More
As a parent, are you at your wits end? Does... Read More
Strattera came out around January of 2003, and is becoming... Read More
You send your child to school and the teachers teach... Read More
I am a single mother of a 17 year old... Read More
Think back to your own childhood. Chances are, some of... Read More
Homes should be run by parents, not children. So many... Read More
O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
It's the first day of the summer holiday. Five year-old... Read More
We all know that using cloth nappies is best for... Read More
What is a parenting problem?Parenting is a tough job, we... Read More
Single parents are not often thought of as good parents.I... Read More
For parents, keeping our kids safe is a constant top... Read More
Have you heard the song; "I Hope You Dance"? It... Read More
Most of the ADHD kids that are seen in a... Read More
Early childhood educators have called play "children's work". Many parents... Read More
When it's time to put your child into a daycare... Read More
It's no joy to be sick. It's even less joy... Read More
Until the moment I became a mother, I couldn't quite... Read More
Seven-year old Michael was on a school trip to a... Read More
Homes should be run by parents, not children. So many... Read More
In the last few years, parents started getting more and... Read More
Our children are growing up bilingual in the French part... Read More
O.K. I've heard it a hundred times from my prison... Read More
Choosing to leave your child with a caregiver is one... Read More
Although nothing anybody says can ever completely prepare a woman... Read More
"Now don't you go getting any ideas, Harold.""Don't you get... Read More
I remember when my daughter was born, later my son.... Read More
It happens every year. Just when you are settled in... Read More
Most of our Founding Fathers, including Ben Franklin, Sam Adams,... Read More
I hear from many parents that their child is stressed... Read More
Assuming there are no serious motor problems present, what can... Read More
Parenting |