I saw a quote this morning on FB, written by a celebrity. He said:
“Money may not buy everything, but it can certainly buy a lot of cool distractions.” I thought about that for a moment, and then replied to the comment.
That’s the problem…….
Distractions on every hand. While our attention is drawn away to other things, the important matters in life go unattended.
“Life is what happens while we are busy making other plans.”
I once heard a song whose sentiment was, “Don’t Miss Your Life.” I believe Phil Vassar sang that song, but the song certainly will hit home with so many in America now. In that song he sang about a man having sat next to him on a flight that gave him some advice. He told him that:
“30 years prior he had made a ton of money, climbed up the ladder, but now, what does it matter? He had missed all of the growing up years of his children. No pictures of him with his children at birthdays, ball games, plays at school……No second chances of being with his family during those years. The moment was gone, and now it is too late. Fame and fortune come with a heavy price. Son, don’t miss your life.”
“And He said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Luke 12:15
Indeed! Don’t miss your life. There are so many teachable moments, if we get off that perpetual merry-go-round of distractions and focus on those Biblical values that will last an entire lifetime in the memories of your children. When I speak with children, they don’t talk about things, they talk about having spent time with mom and dad, where they went to eat, playing ball together, taking walks together, making cookies together, watching a movie together. If you really listen, you will find out what is important to children. It is during those times of togetherness that we teach children important Biblical Truths that cannot be taught anywhere but in the home…..and it takes time.
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shallt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5-9
My friend, who is almost 88 years old talks with such fondness of his mother and dad. He told me that his mother played with he and his brother, fished with them, even fried minnows for them. He laughs about that still. She rode bicycles with them, played ball with them and counseled them during those growing up years. He misses the way she would make caramel pies for their school lunches, fried hot water cornbread, made ice cream. So many things he misses about his mom and dad, and his eyes glisten with tears as his memory goes back in time. After all of those years, the memories are still there and a remembrance with much fondness…..of time spent together.
“Spring to summer, fall’s to winter….Those that can just fly away…..To find a place for them that is better. I guess here is where I will stay…….and so it goes…… while we were busy with the details of our lives every day……. thinking time was on our side. I turned around and you were gone……. and I’m left here with the words I never got around to saying. I don’t know why. I guess I never thought our time could pass us by…..and so it goes.”
Don’t miss your life!
Eileen Light