Sweet Sunny Days

We love sweet sunny days in the backyard. Little girls in bathing suits, a freshly filled baby pool, lots of splashing and laughter make it a perfect way to spend any afternoon. The demands of everyday life are non-stop, there is always something in the next day, the next hour, the next minutes demanding my attention.  I'm realizing more than ever the importance of being present, slowing down, soaking up the blessing of these moments. I don't want to look back on these days and find I've missed the most important parts. I want to spend my hours and days soaking in every bit of my precious family and pouring my life out into theirs. It's not always easy or perfect, actually kind of messy, but so sweet and filled with abundant goodness. There is no other way I want to spend my afternoons. The days might be long, but these years are too short. I'm thankful for every minute of them.

"As we give, we ask God to require. As we bestow, we increase their responsibility. It is not the way for us, or for them. When we faithfully strive to enrich the lives of our children in constant, daily sacrifice, we are asking God to ask more and more of them. This is our hope--that our children will be used mightily in the kingdom. This is our hope--that they will in turn give more to their children, that God will require far more of our children and grandchildren than we could ever have given." -Rachel Jankovic, Fit to Burst: Abundance, Mayhem and the Joys of Motherhood  p.38

" "Our lives do not culminate in a moment. We should not be hoping for one great photo shoot, because that is not what God is doing with us. Our lives are a story--they are interwoven with the next generation in a way that is impossible for us to understand." -Rachel Jankovic, Fit to Burst: Abundance, Mayhem and the Joys of Motherhood p.43