Seize the Day

My baby sister Sarah is getting married in October.  Sniff.  Sniff.  Hard for me to believe.  Yesterday I talked to her for an hour about wedding stuff, bridesmaids dresses and the only thing I could think was where has the time gone?  It seems like yesterday she was born.

Time passes quickly when you are having fun.

Me and my baby sis.

Aubrey looks just like Sarah when she was a baby.

Congratulations "Aunt Sawah"

She is 11 years younger than my twin sister and me.  Stacy and I joke that we will need canes to walk down the aisle at her wedding.

Stacy and Sarah.  My sisters.

There is a  song that kept running through my head today it's called Seize the Day.  It was a song I heard in college and has stuck with me all these years.  The chorus goes like this:

Seize the day, seize whatever you can
'Cause life slips away just like hourglass sand
Seize the day, pray for grace from God's hand
Then nothing will stand in your way
Seize the day

That song has ministered to me in two different ways lately:

1.  Do what you feel you need to do today.  There may not be a tomorrow.  This applies to dreams we have in life and also relationships.

2.  Take every opportunity to seize the life God has given us.  Don't take a moment for granted.  Make fabulous memories. Don't be a victim of circumstance. You won't be sorry.

We seized the day after dinner tonight.  In case you were wondering I have a house full of monkeys.  We had eaten dinner and it was time to start winding down, give baths and get ready for bed. I sat staring at a sink full of dishes and crumbs on the floor. The girls were begging me to go on a walk.  It was getting dark and all the "responsible" Mama in me said no!  It would have been easiest not to go.  I still had four little ones to ready for bed but suddenly it became more important to go on a walk.  The concept of seizing the day had been on my heart so much today that we went and I'm so glad. 

We quickly put on our shoes and sweaters and headed out the door.  The older girls on their bikes, Caroline walking (gotta strengthen those leg muscles) and Aubrey in my arms.  We walked across the path from our neighborhood to the girls elementary school.  The cool air blew through our hair.  It was refreshing.  We headed to our favorite tree.  It sits right in front of the school office.  A perfect climbing tree with lots of winding branches.  The girls climbed, swung from the branches and laughed.  It made my heart happy to watch them.  This is what it means to seize the day I thought.  I always want to do it!


Monkeys I tell ya!

As we walked home. I thought about how I would walk by that tree once my girls are grown and recall that memory.  I know I won't remember the dirty kitchen I left or that the girls went to bed a little later.

And I know I sound like a broken record but The biggest lesson in 2012 so far.... Time is a gift.  We are not promised another day.  Take advantage of the days you have and foster the relationships in your life.  Go for your dreams.  Have you prayed about them?  What does God have in store for you?

Don't operate in fear.  God sees the big picture of our lives.  HE wants us to experience great things.  Don't let your circumstances in life get in the way.  Take life by the horns and run with it.  You will be surprised at what He has in store for you.

Bloom where you are planted.  Don't just grow but bloom!

Now I need to practice what I preach and get my booty outside to run. Seizing the day!

Caroline is not seizing the day.  Tired little one.