You're Gonna Miss This

Let me start by says sorry this is late again. I was out through the week end taking my youngest child Bryan, to a semester of internship out of state.

On that note I would like to just ramble about all that is going on in my heart that this trip stirred up. I am very proud of my son, and my daughters too, and I must admit I am sure missing that boy already. I am amazed how fast life really goes. Which causes me to ask how much have I missed as I rushed by doing all that stuff I can’t even remember that I did. Yes, it seemed so important at the moment but looking from where I stand today I can’t see what it was or what it accomplished. I just realize it caused me to miss some things I wish I hadn’t missed.

Yesterday while traveling home I was scanning through the stations on my radio trying to find something to listen to. I came across a station that I guess was a country station and heard a few lines from a song as I scanned past. I couldn’t get one of the lines, “You’re Gonna Miss This”, out of my mind. So I this morning I went on line to look up the words. Here they are. It is a song by the artist Tracey Adkins.

She was staring out that window, of that SUV complaining, saying I can't wait to turn 18.
She said I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules. Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school then she kissed her head and said I was just like you.

You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back.
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast.
These are some good times so take a good look around. You may not know it now but you're gonna miss this.

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride. In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by. He tells her It's a nice place She says It'll do for now. Starts talking about babies and buying a house. Daddy shakes his head and says Baby just slow down.

'Cause You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back you're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast. These are some good times so take a good look around you may not know it now but you're gonna miss this.

Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater. Dog's barking, phone's ringing. One kid's crying, one kid's screaming She keeps apologizing.
He says they don't bother me. I've got 2 babies of my own. One's 36, one's 23
Huh, it's hard to believe.

But you're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back.
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast.
These are some good times so take a good look around you may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this. Yeah, you're gonna miss this.

Wow, I just wonder how much I have missed as I rushed by life doing all those important things that I can’t remember today or can even tell they were done. I wonder how many things just slipped by me as I pushed hard for tomorrow to get here? All these thoughts came rushing by this morning again as my wife read me a post she had placed on Facebook and a response from a lady in our church named Diann. Let me share them with you.

Stephanie wrote; Well today is the first time since 1992 that I haven't sent a child off to school. No backpacks, no lunches, no notebooks. I'm not sure which was easier...Yes, I do today....no paperwork to fill out tonight, no homework (at least for me), just a few more extensive prayers for my kids now days. So proud of all my kids p.s. Jared too.!lol

Diann responded; Now I feel very sad for because with all of those no's are- no bedtime prayer, no cute stories about their day, no fresh outta the bath snuggles, no spaghetti face kisses, no mommy I love you's. (sniff) Babies grow up WAY too fast. I am... gonna give my babies an extra kiss tonight and pray that God helps me remember to enjoy every minute I have with them before I turn around and they are grown! (Not trying to make you sad ENJOY your temporary almost empty nest)

Yes, it made me aware all over again that life goes way to fast. Just like the scriptures declare, it’s but a vapor. We tend to rush past most of it and then find ourselves at the closing days of our life pulling every break-lever we can find. Today I will go run the distant of a 5K and lift some weights along with trying to eat right. Yes, I’m grasping for break-levers trying to add a few extra days. I stand here where I am in life wondering what all the hurry was about. As I look back down the road I wonder what just happened and why did I miss so much of the important stuff doing what I can’t remember I did? It seemed like a big deal at the moment but from here it doesn’t seem so big.

Yes, blow the dust off today and look it over really close. This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24 KJV) Jesus preached in the Sermon on the Mount, Therefore do not worry (be anxious) about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry (be anxious) about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:34 NKJV)

Yes, we need to plan and prepare but I’m afraid we are missing too much living that is hid behind life. We need to make sure we don’t miss the wonderful things worth living that get concealed behind the paper cutouts and cardboard symbols of frustration and trying to grab the elusive American Dream. They are all only temporary. Stop long enough today to look around you. Stop and take a long slow look. No, not at the stuff that is making you grit your teeth. I’m talking about the real stuff beyond the dust. It’s there. Go hug your child, no matter what their age. Go tell your spouse you really do love them and mean it. Look a friend in the eye and breathe deep their friendship. Sit down and make a phone call you should have made a long time ago. Yes, look past this fast paced life and see the living, you’re gonna miss this.