Originally published on The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Facebook page on Monday, November 15, 2010 at 7:19am

 STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES …

 One day as I was giving my oldest (who was about 2, maybe 3, years old at the time) hugs and kisses, I told him, “Momma doesn’t want you to ever grow up, OK? You cannot grow up!” He sweetly agreed and crawled off my lap and went on to play. It was about 5 minutes later when he returned and asked, “Momma can I please grow up, can I please?!?!” with great anticipation in his voice, as if I had any control over whether or not he could ever grow up … but I wished I did …

When my youngest was little and we would sit and read together it was often hard to get him to focus on the words of the page, because he enjoyed looking at the pictures so much! I often tried to hurry him along so we could “check another thing off our to-do list” that day.

Years later, I regret that … Oh, I regretted it then, but convinced myself it was “OK” because I was getting things done. I was homeschooling three kids, being a minister’s wife, along with wearing various other hats. There was laundry to do and dishes to wash! “I did not have time to look at pictures!”

Realizing now that I will never get those moments back brings a tear to my eye. When our children are young, we secretly hope in our hearts they will never grow up and think if we just don’t think about it they won’t! But they do! Hours slip to days, and days slip to weeks, and weeks to years. Before you know it, it is Christmas already – and then, they are moving out the door!

There was a lady in the Bible who had the same problem. Her name was Martha. (If you’re not familiar with the story I suggest you read it.)

Luke 10:41-42 “Martha, Martha”, the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Oh! I know the scripture is talking about putting God first, but I think right after our faith comes our family.

So, I encourage you this week, take some time with the kids! Just go lay out in the yard, look up at the sky, and watch the clouds roll by. Stop and smell the roses, because the roses are only here for a season, just like our kids are only kids for a little while.

Take the time to invest in your kids, share with them your values and beliefs. When it comes down to it, there are only two things we can take to heaven with us: our family and our friends.

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow…For babies grow up,we’ve learned to our sorrow…So quiet down cobwebs…dust go to sleep…I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep!!—-Ruth Hulbert Hamilton.