Life is so precious......

     I have been reminded how fragile and unpredictable life can be. Friends of ours lost their 15 yr old daughter and had four of their other children injured in a car accident on Valentines Day. How quickly our lives can be overturned! My heart is breaking for them. I hope I never have to experience the pain they are going through right now. I can't imagine. All I can do is pray for this wonderful family and trust that God will comfort them.
     Since the accident I have been thinking about how much of life we miss out on. We put our heads down and push through our days....checking off our mental list of everything we need to get accomplished and feeling discouraged when things haven't quite gone as planned. I am usually one of those moms with her head down just trying to get everything done.
      I recently asked myself.... How much do I miss while my head is down and I am just trying to get through my day? How many times have I inadvertently wounded one of my girls' tender hearts by being to busy with trying to get it all done that I haven't taken the time to really hear them? Do I really just want to end my days thinking "Phew today is finally done" or do I want to experience everything God intends for me to experience?
     Looking back through these past few months I have realized that I am pretty much just pushing through life, trying to get each day done and over with, trying to check off each box just to be done with it.I know that my wonderful, loving and amazing God has so much more in store for me than I am allowing myself to experience. He doesn't want me to just make it through this life, He wants me to make a difference in this life.
     How do I make a difference? How does this crazy busy, tired, stressed out mommy make a difference in such a huge world?  The answer.... I start with what God has given me. I start by making a difference in my wonderful husband's life and each of my precious daughters' lives, by making sure that every day they know how much I love and treasure each of them. I can start by showing kindness to others even if I don't feel like it. You never know how a simple smile can affect a persons day!
    No matter how long your to-do list is, or how busy you are please don't just put your head down and make it through life. Slow down and take the time to love those around you. Leave your husband a love note (even when he doesn't deserve it!), take your wife on a picnic (even though you are tired!), play outside with your kids (even if it is freezing out!). Let them know that they are important to you. God has amazing and wonderful things in store if we just take the time to listen to Him and trust Him.

 I'm planning my next post to be more of an update on the kids and our family. Thanks for reading!