“These Are the Good Old Days”
We had a beautiful weekend.
Not because we did anything extravagant. Not because everything in life was perfect. And certainly not because the challenges and uncertainties surrounding us suddenly disappeared. It was beautiful because, for a little while, we simply got to enjoy being a family.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the beauty of ordinary days. About learning to appreciate the little things, the moments we sometimes overlook, and the blessings that are right in front of us while we’re busy worrying about everything else. Well, this weekend, God gave us one of those ordinary weekends. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. We watched our baby boy, Dayne, and his friends earn a Division I rating at Regional Band Competition. On to State! What an incredible feeling watching him do something he loves. As a dad and mom there is something special about watching your children find their passion, work hard, and experience moments of success.
Then we celebrated our baby girl Alanna’s 20th birthday with a movie and dinner. Happy 20th birthday to our forever princess! Twenty years old. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around that. It seems like yesterday we were holding her in our arms, wondering what kind of beautiful life God had planned for her. And now, here she is, becoming the amazing young woman we always knew she would be. I look at both of our children and sometimes wonder where all those years went. Somehow, in what feels like the blink of an eye, those little kids grew up. And this weekend, I found myself appreciating that reality a little more than usual. Then, at one point, my wife and I were simply walking together, holding hands, with our kids beside us. I small kiss here and there. Nothing extraordinary to anyone watching.
But to me? It was everything.
I looked at my wife, looked at our children, and thought about how blessed I am to have these people in my life. These are the people who give my life its greatest meaning. The people I would do anything for. The people who make even the hardest days worth facing. Then came another moment that really got to me. Our son drove us to Houston and back. There I was, sitting in the backseat, looking around and realizing something that made me smile.
I was sitting in the very place where a car seat once sat.
Think about that.
There was a time when I was the one behind the wheel, checking the rearview mirror to make sure my little boy was okay. A time when we buckled him into that car seat, handed him a toy, and headed down the road as a young family. Now that little boy was driving his mom and dad. And I was the one sitting in the backseat… In panic mode- Whew!
I know it sounds cliché when people say life moves fast. But you know what? It really does. And sometimes you don’t fully understand just how fast until you’re sitting in the backseat of a car, watching the little boy you once carried become the young man carrying you down the road next to your 20 year old daughter. I smiled to myself. And I thanked God.
There’s a line from one of my favorite television shows, The Office, when Andy Bernard says:
“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”
I’ve always loved that quote. But this weekend, it hit differently. Because as I watched my family, held my wife’s hand, kissed her lips, celebrated our daughter’s birthday, and watched our son continue to grow into the young man he’s becoming, I realized something. I don’t have to wait twenty years to recognize the good old days. I’m living them right now. Right here. In the middle of a life that isn’t always easy. In the middle of circumstances we wouldn’t have chosen. In the middle of prayers we’re still praying and questions we don’t yet have answers to.
These are still the good old days.
And maybe that’s what made this weekend so incredibly special. Because when life brings challenges, you begin to look at time differently. You stop taking ordinary moments for granted. You begin to appreciate the sound of your children’s laughter a little more. You hold your person’s hand a little tighter. You listen a little longer. You hug a little harder. And you find yourself wishing that, just for a moment, the world would slow down. Not because you’re afraid of tomorrow, but because you’re so incredibly thankful for today. I think that’s something God has been teaching me through this season of our lives. Sometimes the greatest blessings are found right in the middle of the things we’re struggling through. A family dinner. A birthday celebration. A band competition. A drive to Houston. Holding hands with the love of your life.
Ordinary moments. Extraordinary blessings.
And as this weekend came to an end, I made a conscious decision to tuck these memories away somewhere special in my heart. A little place for safekeeping. Because I know there will be days ahead that won’t feel quite so ordinary. Days when the weight of life feels heavier. Days when fear tries to creep in, when uncertainty gets loud, and when finding a reason to smile may take a little more effort. And on those days, I believe God will gently remind me of this weekend.
Of our son’s smile.
Of our daughter’s birthday.
Of my wife’s hand in mine.
Of sitting in that backseat and realizing just how beautifully life has unfolded.
And perhaps those memories will remind me that even in the middle of life’s storms, God continues to give us moments of sunshine.
So if you’re reading this today, I encourage you to look around. Look at the people you love. Appreciate the little things. Take the pictures. Hold the hands. Celebrate the birthdays. Cheer a little louder for your children. And don’t be afraid to stop in the middle of an ordinary moment and thank God for it. Because one day, those seemingly ordinary moments may become the memories you treasure most. And maybe, just maybe, we can learn to recognize the good old days while we’re still living them.
This weekend wasn’t an escape from our reality. It was a beautiful reminder of everything that makes our reality worth loving.
Thank You, God, for this weekend. Thank You for my beautiful wife, our amazing children, and the gift of another day together. Thank You for reminding me that even when life feels uncertain, there is still so much to smile about.
And thank You for these good old days.
I’m going to hold on to this one for a long, long time.
Believe In The Unbelievable that is YOU and my prayer for you today is from Lamentations 3:22–23.
"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Have a great day ahead everyone.
Little Boy, Big Dreams LLC
Purposeful Pathways
DC
No comments:
Post a Comment