Fleeting Childhood

       "Childhood - The days are long, but the years are short."  (author unknown)

 Long days of loving, nurturing, playing, cleaning, feeding, caring, teaching, correcting, reading, snuggling, tickling, cooking, eating, sharing. . . these days are long.   Sometimes I look for ways to fill the hours usually playing long games of go fish or checkers, pretending we are princesses or pirates, taking walks around the block or through the woods.  Other times I distract myself from my little ones to do another load of laundry or fill the dishwasher or pick up the hundreds of toys that get scattered through the house daily.  Either way, some days are very long and when darkness comes and eyelids dip heavy I reflect on if anything I did that day was important.  So many things go unnoticed, often no one sees the untiring work of the mother.

I love the story about the little boy who is throwing starfish back into the ocean, who have been washed ashore after a great storm.  An older man comes up to him and says, "Why are you throwing these animals back, there are hundreds of them, you will never help them all?!"  To which the boy replies as he picks up another starfish, "Made a difference to that one." 


I must constantly remind myself that I am making a difference.  No matter how small these things may appear, they are difference making, life shaping activities.  Investing time in my children now will teach them that relationships are a priority.  Family bonds come before making money or following self.  By taking the time with them to share life experiences they will learn to take time with their little ones when they are grown and the cycle of love and life will continue. 


This is one reason I enjoy homeschooling, I can be with the ones I love to share the joys of learning.  We can open all the windows and hang our feet out to draw and write about God's creation.  We have the time together to read books about long ago and far away, how people live around the world and how we all belong to the Creator and we all need Jesus. 


These days may seem long when the details of each minute overwhelm, but I am reminded so quickly (when I look at my 7 year old) how the years fly by.  Those baby days will never come again,  the chubby hands and wobbly legs won't need my help as they used to.  Quiet, sun filled nursery days are gone and those years can never be returned.  Once life is spent, there is no holding it again.  So, while we have these minutes, these hours, these years with our children let us spend our time wisely.  Let me be diligent in using my time for good, nurturing young minds, loving and living as unto the Lord.

I am grateful for . . .

56.  new dogs to make our family a bit more full

57.  peace in the storm of stomach bugs

58.  peek-a-boo boys in the park

59.  toothless grins on sweet girls

60.  chatty boys who want to share all the details

61.  warm sunshine and spring breezes

62.  patient Savior love