I Will Miss This Someday

Parenting can fall into a joyful category during most hours of the day.  But, there are those moments on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.  You know, those times when you feel blood boiling inside and not sure if everyone will come through it alive.  Or those times when YOU need the ‘time out’.

I speak about the day to day struggles a parent encounters.  I have a laundry list of examples.  The moments vary depending on the phase of the child.  In the beginning, a pacifier, bottle, rocking or just a voice can calm any storm.  With age, calming methods become individualized and difficult.  Creativity must come into the scene as I work diligently to referee an argument, console a broken heart, heal a wound or feed a nutritious meal.  Some days feel like a tornado while others feel like a peaceful sunny sky kind of day. 

One line reruns through my thoughts daily as every muscle tenses at the sound of crying, whining, fighting or nagging:  I will miss this someday.  Really?  Am I going to miss the constant sweeping up of grass tracked in from playing outside?  Am I going to miss the smudged up glass leading to the back porch?  Am I going to miss the comments:  “You are so mean,” or “I don’t like. . .,” or “I need this and I need that?”  No, wait a minute, I bet it will be the smelly, preteen room I enter with caution that will be missed. 

Guess what?  I think it will be all of this and so much more that will be missed.  Each phase entered brings with it a bit of sadness that the last one passed so quickly.  Yet, with the sadness comes joy when maturity shines through, kind acts appear without prompting and true love begins to fill their hearts.  I sure miss my little man and my little peanut. . .but the boy/girl they are becoming amazes me!

Let me share with you the true things that will be missed when the nest empties. . .

Encouraging artwork

Innocent laughter

Being needed to care for wounds (physical and emotional)

Completion of projects with teamwork

Reminder of what fun looks like

Fort building days

Someone to watch movies with

Someone to color with

True example of faith

True example of confidence

Caring hearts

Continual compliments (with a few honest criticisms)

Someone desiring to spend time with me

Fun

Laughter

Love

Family time

Family dinner

All of us closing down each day together, in prayer, with a little goofing off and a lot of laughter!

See, the Craig family doesn’t always get it right when trials/tribulations creep into our days; but, we do have one important factor which supersedes any attempt the enemy presents to bring us down – Prayer.  As a mother, I fly off the handle way too often.  As a wife, I assume the worst, complain and try to dig into my ‘me’ box too way too often.  Consistent prayer time together opens up the forgiveness door.  My children forgive.  My husband forgives.  With each episode, I experience an indescribable growth in my Christian walk.  I thank God for sending me three angels to walk through life with and for the grace shown daily to this mom/wife.  I pray that, once the nest is empty, my husband and I remember all these little children taught us along the way.    

Keep praying harder than the devil can work.