Early morning, hours before sun-up, I sit quiet in the dark. The house is completely still.
Cradling my coffee, an involuntary smile tugs at my lips while tears blur my vision.
In my minds-eye, I replay the chaos from the night before.
The blissful chaos.
It’s Sunday-Supper. And this Sunday, (with the exception of one), all of our precious children file in to spend a couple of hours together.
Laughing.
Loving.
We crowd in around the dinning room table, babies and all, the adults trying to carry on conversations over little girls who are getting louder and louder by the minute.
My son Timothy who has no children, looks at me smiling,
“Once babies learn to talk they never stop…they just love to hear themselves don’t they?”
We pause to listen …
One tiny girl is telling Pop Pop in her loudest voice that he has to make an her ice cream sundae for dessert, two tiny girls are banging high-chairs demanding “more, more, more” and Baby Finley is crawling around on the floor saying “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy” at the top of her lungs.
I burst out laughing, reach for Timothy’s hand and give it a squeeze, we share joy in the sacred moment.
Later, I find the four I birthed, those three little girls all grown and my one and only boy, laughing in the kitchen cleaning dirty dishes.
Eavesdropping, I hear…
“I think Mom made spaghetti three or four times a week when we were little.” Timothy, laughs.
“I hate spaghetti to this day.” Emma chimes in.
“Remember the huge bags of bargain Kroger brand cereal we ate? Dad put it in big tupperware containers so we thought it was the real stuff.”
I march in and tell them they are absolutely exaggerating.
“Those were good times…” someone says.
And we laugh some more at the memories.
Memories…the stuff life is made of.
And we’re making them now.
I know too well that these times when we’re all together won’t last forever.
Nothing lasts forever.
When I was their age, I took for it for granted, those family get-togethers.
The times we laughed at my little brother David for putting up his Christmas tree in late October.
The times we relived memories of when my sister, brother and I were growing up.
I rested in those times, not giving them the weight of importance they deserved. I mistakenly thought that nothing ever changes.
But in a blink my little brother was gone, taken home before we were ready to let him go.
And everything changed.
Then suddenly Mama went home.
And everything changed again.
The lesson I think, is best summed up the way my dad signs every card-every email…
Time Flies
Hard lesson to learn. But once it’s learned, it’s not so hard to embrace.
So I live the moments full.
Because I know we aren’t promised another.
And right now, in the stillness of before dawn, I give thanks for the time spent in a torrential downpour of grace.
***
With holidays just around the corner, could I be so bold as to encourage you my sweet friends, to seize every single opportunity to be with those you hold dear?
Because truly…
time flies…
~Sending you love~
Torrential Downpour of Grace ~ very descriptive.
Reminded me of a P & W song: Open the Floodgates
of Heaven…..and He has, Grace & Truth reign in
abundance through His Son Jesus.
Luv this days A T H A H ~ time flies
Robin, great capture of those precious moments! What gifts! Takes my breath away…
I hope you have many, many more! Hugs!
So true and I loved reading your post as I wipe a tear from my eyes.
Lovely post! Thanks for the reminder!
This is so true Robin. I don’t have all good memories of growing up, but I do have them and relive them from time to time. My 3 brothers and I are separated by miles and states. I turn 60 next month and my grandson turns 6. Seems like only yesterday I surprised my daughter by showing up to hold my grandson the day she brought him home. I love those memories and hope I have given my girls (and grandson) and church some good ones to hang on to. Thanks for the look-see into your heart and home. Blessings.
Wonderful writing–made me laugh and cry and want to make today special. Or rather, let today be special.
Jamie and I were talking the other day. We remembered how you and I got together and brought peanut butter sandwiches for lunch–no extra money to get McDonald’s.Jamie said they were happy with their homemade lunches–just getting to play with their friends.
So much we only discover in retrospect. xo
Speaking so eloquently from your heart- I treasure these observations- so full of wisdom. I love the line “live your moments full.” That is beautiful and I will take that with me and think of you always 🙂 love you dear one ~
So true..
Beautiful Robin. Cherished moments to live to the full. Thanks for the wake up call. Downpour of Grace…I think you need to write that book:)
This post brought tears to my eyes…..we all take those times for granted, don’t we ? I do cherish the time with my children, because I think back to my loving Mother and Father every day….I miss them both so much, along with my oldest brother – all together now in Heaven….. How I wish I had appreciated those times with them so much more.
My memories of growing up around aunts, uncles and cousins are very cherished ones. We always got together for birthdays and holidays. I enjoy looking back now on all the pictures my Dad took back then. I’m so glad that he did.
Today, my family is spread out over many states. We usually get to see each other once a year. Just this year one of my daughters moved to Texas to be near her fiance. So, when I visit family in Connecticut she probably won’t be there at that time. It will feel strange.
You are so right, Robin. Time does fly and nothing ever stays the same. I always try to savor each special moment that I am given.
Hugs my friend, Eileen
Robin, you made me cry this morning…a good cry remembering special family moments. I too lost my brother at 48…he would have turned 60 on Saturday. He was so much fun, but I get great pleasure in remembering the good times we had together. We just had a family wedding and it is always good to spend time with my family at a happy occasion instead of a funeral…lost both parents within 9 months of each other.
I treasure every moment I get to spend with our daughters and their families. One lives close and the other 1700 miles away so when we can all be together it is a blessing…can’t wait for 7 days of whole family time this Christmas. Saturday I get to watch my grandson play football and the following Saturday during a trip to Chicago we get to spend the day with one of our granddaughters watching Ryder Cup golf. Aren’t I lucky?
Enjoy every moment because as we all know, time does fly!
Time DOES fly — way too quickly, for this mama! I pray that when my sons are grown & gone, that they return home for beautiful family fellowship. (& that they do the dishes…)
Why is your website now extremely pale or faint (compared to your side bar) and difficult to read?
Enjoyed today’s posting tremendously. My family used to have Sunday Suppers too.
Blessings!
Shirley
Beautifully said, and oh, so true.
I look so forward to your posts and once again you warm my heart! I am trying my best to embrace each memory as I too have learned how time flies after losing my husband. I am thankful each day for the blessings of my children. Thank you Robin.
Patti
Love this Robin! What special moment with your family. But you are right all of our moments are special…God given. 🙂
Beautifully written. Tears as I snuggle with my cuddly baby boy a bit longer today. Much love!
Dear Robin, PLEASE PLEASE PLEAS PLEASE PLEASE compile all of these and get them to a publisher. You have a gift with words (written, not spoken lol )and many many others out there would benefit from this gift. Add in some of your recipes and craft projects, and you have a wonderful, thoughtful, meaningful body of work that would be enjoyed by millions. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE??????? You are not fully using the gifts you have been given by keeping them only in a blog… 🙂
Amen, Robin. You write so beautifully. Your heart spills over into your words as you share them with us in each of your posts. I adore that about you. You are truly blessed with an active, happy family who recognizes the grace that pours down on them. 🙂 Blessings to you and your loving family, sweetie! Thank you for the sweet reminder…
xoxo laurie
Robin, I loved this post. It reminds me of all the times my Family spent together and how precious are the memories. Laughter and tears shared with people you love and who love you. Watching our children grow up knowing their cousins and Aunts and Uncles….priceless memories. Toby Keith has a song, You’re Gonna Miss This, that speaks to my heart.
It says, Take a good look around, you may not know it now, but you’re gonna miss this~ So, So true.
I just spent 5 days with my two Sisters on vacation. We are still making new memories and sharing some great ones from the past.
Thank you for sharing your sweet heart.
Love,
Brenda
Your posts always seem to find me at JUST the riht moment. I got home from 2 days at the beach this afternoon then we went to a 7 year olds b-day party. She is my best friends granddaughter and we are always invited to all their family functions. We will never have grandchildren but I look at these precious grandchildren as “adopted grandchildren” and they seem to consider us adopted grandparents. I TREASURE every moment with them. I love your heart and honesty. XOXO
Beautiful Robin…you always inspire and I thank the Lord for blessing me with your beautiful blog and God given thoughts from your heart that are always “right on time” that minister to my spirit.
Time is something we can’t hold on to…only the memories.
Blessings.
Glenis
Wow1 such a beautiful post. I often think of time that has gone by and how time flies too. When we are young we don’t appreciate time only as we get older and wiser we do.
Peggy, it’s true, the older we get the simple things in life become the important things…sending you love