Friday, June 1, 2012

Stop Rushing And See

On Fridays I like to link up with the Gypsy Mama for her Five Minute Friday.  She gives us a one word prompt and we are to write on that word for only five minutes.  Well today I am cheating a little.  This is a post I actually started for a guest post I am doing soon.  But after seeing the word prompt for today and reading the post at Woman to Woman, I felt God telling me today was the day.




Shortly after learning that I was pregnant for the very first time, I decided to start a journal.  A journal that would someday, maybe when she married or had her first child, go to my baby.  I journaled about my excitement to welcome this little bundle into my life, then after she was born I continued to journal about her life and how much we loved her.


With each of the following children, I continued journaling to them in their own journal.  My goal was to write to each child two to four times a year.  I love writing to them, even though I just pray they can actually read my handwriting. {smiles}  These are journals that, until this moment, no one other than my husband knew existed.  I would like for my children to not know about them until I present them to each one on that special day.


The past few months I have been thinking about my journals and realized I hadn't written in awhile.  So just this week I decided to pull the journals down and write.  I was shocked and saddened to realize that it has been a little more than two years since I had written to my precious blessings.  Life moves on.  It moves so fast.  I let myself get so busy that I hadn't shared with my children all those precious things they do. I was too busy to write out verses and encouragement for them.  Too busy to share with them in way for them to always see in black and white how much I love them.


But, so busy with what?  We rushed through our days why?  My kids are growing up so fast.  I don't want to rush anymore.  I don't want to be busy with nothing anymore.  I don't want to put anything {other than God of course} above my family.  I want to enjoy my kids.  I want to really see them.  See their individuality, their passions, their strengths, their dreams.  


We used to sit down at night together and read a book, a chapter a night.  When was the last time I did that?  I don't even know.  We used to sing fun and silly songs together.  My favorite song that we sang to each other came from our favorite book, Love You Forever.  When was the last time we sang that song to each other?  I don't remember.  Yes, kids grow up.  Yes, interests change.  But that doesn't mean we quit being a family.  It doesn't mean we stop connecting and reaching out.


It is time to refocus.  Time to connect.  Time to place a high priority on my family.


Mandy, one of my lovely co-leaders of Woman is to Woman, is starting a series today for Family Fridays.  This series is taken from the book, Resolution for Women, which comes from the movie Courageous.  Please take the time to check out her post today and follow along each Friday.  I promise you will be blessed.  Click HERE.


Sweet Blessings~
 

Linking With:
Five Minute Friday

Faith Filled Friday 

9 comments:

  1. Thank you!
    Such a lovely idea to write a journal and verses of encouragement for you children. I think that is something I need to start doing.

    I think the main way I discipline myself to see my child is through taking photographs. It makes me pause and enjoy him.

    (coming to you via five miunte friday)

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  2. This reminded me of a passage I read yesterday in Ecclesiastes...

    "Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart."

    (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 ESV)

    Visiting today from the Faith-filled Friday link-up.

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  3. Journaling wasn't a big deal when my kids were litte. I wish it had been. It is so very easy to miss the growing up of our children. I have said more than once I would love to go back to when they were little so I could really focus on them. There are things that I know I have forgotten...things I never thought I would forget. It's so easy. It's also very sad that we lose these precious times because of our busyness in life!

    Thank you for this reminder to reminisce. We all need to take time to 'stop and smell the roses' a little more often!

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  4. so neat to read of your choice of sight. Blessings to you on this 5 minute Friday!

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  5. Wonderful post! It feels like my children are growing faster than I can keep up with. But, my wife and I try to make the most of our time with them. God bless!

    Encouraging Thoughts for Life

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  6. Beautiful,yet convicting reminder, Jenifer! I love that you journal to each one of your children. That's an amazing legacy you are leaving them!

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  7. Oh, what a beautiful post! My daughter graduating next week is helping me to truly "see" her as she moves into this next phase of life.
    It definitely speaks through the "busy" and gets right to a mom's heart :)
    Thanks for sharing!

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  8. Lovely, it's so important to take the time to truly see our families now, right where there at. To be an active participant in the everydayness of life. Before we know it those moments will be gone.

    Blessings~
    Shari

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  9. Hi Jenifer--you're part of my small women's group and I want to get more connected with you! This is an excellent idea for the future--I don't have kids yet, but I DO love to write and have thought about doing this when the time comes. Also, I'm glad you put the link to Mandy's post about the Resolution book because I also started reading the first chapter and have thought about blogging about it as well, going to follow her now. Go check out my blog when you get a chance! thanks!

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