A Little Softer Now

Two posts on Facebook. One from a friend sharing the happy announcement that they are expecting another baby. The second from a friend sharing the heartbreaking news that their unborn little one has gone on to be with the Lord. Two posts. One sobering reminder.

I read both of these announcements at a time when my little ones were driving me nuts and I was having a hard time remembering why I ever thought I was qualified to be a mama. The first post brought me back to those joyful moments when we found out about each of our children, and an overwhelming love for my family engulfed me. Maybe I’m not ‘qualified’ to be a mama. But I am so thankful that God chose to bless me with my babies anyway. I wouldn’t trade this role for all the world.

The second post... It made me want to wrap my little ones in my arms and never let them go. It reminded me of just how brief and fleeting life is. How faint. How fragile. Today I’ve been given priceless moments with my children, moments that I may not have tomorrow. And no matter how long and crazy the days are, the years are short. I want to treasure those days and fill them with memories of laughter and of training my children with the joy of the Lord. I want to shower them with undivided attention, laugh at their silliness, smile at their determination, and handle those moments of frustration with grace.

A little more gentle. A little slower. A little softer now.  Because I am a lot more mindful of the brevity of life.

[Photo courtesy of David Castillo Dominici and FreeDigitalPhotos.net]