The Gift of Time!

"Time is the coin of your life.
It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you".
~Carl Sandburg
A few weeks ago one of Tracy's friends on Facebook made the following status update:
"The phrase “spend our time” is very apropos. Time is a spendable currency. The accounts into which we deposit time get stronger. Individuals and activities that we spend the most time with, ultimately get our loyalty, devotion and love. Everything, other than time, is counterfeit. Are we budgeting and spending wisely?"
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I got to thinking this past few weeks about something that happened that I didn't handle the way I wished I would have, when Ethan came and tugged on my shirt and showed me the following picture.

"Mom, I want to show you my drawing"
and how do you think I responded...
"I'm busy right now, but I will look at it later, Okay? I promise"!

As I heard his sigh and then "okay" as he walked away I had a pain in my heart and couldn't stand to see his disappointment. I immediately sensed this and said...
"Hey buddy, I'd love to see your drawing come tell about what you have drawn".
His face lit up and he proceeded to talk for what seemed like 30 minutes about every detail of his drawing (only it was only 5 minutes)

I witnessed Ethan approach Tracy and get a similar response.

It made me really stop and ponder about life. This is a hectic time of the year and are all of the so called "obligations" we are doing taking us away from giving the one on one attention to our children that they so desperately need?

Or, do our children get "brushed off" time and time again and we never quite get around to sitting and looking at that drawing, playing a quick game, throwing a ball, reading a story, etc...?

OR, even though it is MUCH easier for us to do a project ourselves, are we taking time to let them help and be part of the project
(even if it doesn't turn out quite how we'd like it to).
I'm learning each day that TIME is one of the greatest gifts we can give to others, especially our family and one must remember and keep the perspective that the TIME we spend on family means THEY are the ones getting our loyalty, devotion and love!
So, during the hustle and bustle
of the holiday season fast approaching, with church and community obligations, dinner dates, shopping to do, programs to watch, decorations to put up, baking, baking and more baking, I hope to have it be more instinctive to give 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there to make sure I'm there for all of the little moments that really add up to the BIG moments in Tracy, Jade and Ethan's lives!!

Sometimes it's easy to do things to "impress others" and to want others (neighbors, co-workers) to think you are neat, or creative, etc...
Friends are wonderful
and I cherish my friendships greatly, but in the end....
it all boils down to FAMILY... They
are the people that I want to impress and think I'm cool, FUN and wonderful and love what I created. etc....
Family truly is who will be there by your side through the thick and thin and it is truly where JOY and HAPPINESS abundantly abound.
If only we take the time daily to nurture and feed the things that really matter most in life!
Time spent with Family,
truly is one of life's most cherished gifts!
Be in the moment!