“It’s so important…that what’s important…stays important.” That’s probably not the most profound statement I have ever made in my life. But I do believe it is one worth holding onto for the rest of my life. Somehow it just fits my simple-yet-anything-but-boring journey in this world.
Recently, Tim and I discussed our lives as a family….where we’ve been…where we are now and where we want to be in our remaining years. It’s so hard to believe that both of our children are adults now. Oh, how those years flew by much too quickly. It’s hard to believe that Tim and I are in the “middle-age” season of our lives. (I know…we don’t act our ages and probably never will.) It’s hard to believe that we are discussing retirement options, where we want to live, how we look forward to having grandchildren someday, how we plan to stay very active in our “golden years” and the dreams and goals we hope to reach in the meantime.
It’s very difficult to believe all that has happened in our time together so far! When we realize that we met almost thirty years ago, it doesn’t seem possible. Yet when we consider all that we have experienced along the way, it is absolutely overwhelming.
We have certainly made many mistakes. We quickly learned in our marriage and as parents that next to those very important words “I love you” are the other essential words…”I am sorry.” Oh, if I had a dollar for every time I have had to apologize, well let’s just say I would not be so obsessed with tabulating every item on my shopping list as I go through the stores. Ok…I would probably still do that. But…my apologizes would undoubtedly be most profitable.
Our life has been wonderful. There are precious memories we will always cherish: feeling our unborn babies moving inside of me, holding them in our arms for the first time, hearing them say “Dada” and “Mama” the first time. There are the days they went to kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school, then the day we watched our daughter graduate from college and now we see our son experiencing life as a college student. Those Christmas Eve family devotions we have around the tree…and Christmas morning surprises…and New Year’s Eve birthday parties for our son while we wait for the New Year to begin….are so precious. Oh…and all the vacations to see family…or visit the mountains…or go to the beach...or shop…were awesome! Some of my favorite memories are our “Lorenz Family Singer” moments when we sing four-part harmony in the minivan…or at home in the kitchen or around the table…and we laugh about what a shame it is we never went on the road!
I so love the conversations we have as a family when we talk about exciting times…sad times…confusing times…painful times…while assuring one another that we will always be family no matter what happens in the future. I loved their learning to drive experiences and teaching them to parallel park in our driveway…and the thrill of seeing them holding their first licenses with such excitement! There are the family cookouts, proms, parties, movies, first jobs, laughter, tears, funerals, weddings, concerts, school and Church programs. We have danced to 70s disco music, learned their favorite country music songs and enjoyed moments playing trumpets, flute, guitar, piano and keyboard. We have held one another during losses and broken dreams when there were no words to describe the devastation in our hearts. We have felt the miracle of friendship…and the alienation of loneliness. We have lived life as a family…together...in both rocky times and amazing times…but always in times of unconditional love and commitment.
Yes…life is so blessed.
Seasons change. Sometimes it seems life seasons change more quickly than the annual four seasons. It seems like only yesterday I was a little girl singing songs with my Dad as he worked on the car, or playing with my life-long best friend, Karen, or learning the ropes of high school, going to college…(which I never imagined I would be able to do)……and now…in the blink of an eye, I am married, have two adult children and wondering how to best live the rest of my life. Changes occur…not only with time but in life itself. So many, many precious loved ones have passed away. Other have shockingly walked away. Things I never imagined would happen…did. Things I hoped and prayed would happen…didn’t. Some dreams came true beautifully. Others seemed to be snatched from us at the worst possible moments just when they finally seemed within reach. I have lived in places I didn’t know existed. I have not lived in places I always thought I would. My career goals didn’t happen on my schedule. God had other goals in store for me instead. Now I consider those goals along with new ones I never considered previously. So little time…so many decisions…so much unexpected and so little that was expected….Life.
So what do we do with it all? We can easily get lost in the pace, the comparisons, the surprises, the changing routines, the interruptions and the never-ending choices. Life can be so…complicated. How do we handle it…live it…learn from it…embrace it…and protect it?
Perhaps my very simplistic thinking is a blessing...occasionally. As I remember times before, I remember that my parents and grandparents didn’t always have conveniences that we have now. There were no microwave ovens, drive-thru restaurants, cell phones, computers or Internet…and Walmart didn’t exist. Food came from the garden. Milk came from our cow. Mom made cottage cheese and butter. There were grocery stores but we went there occasionally…not daily. There was one car per family. Research was done by grabbing the World Book Encyclopedia off the shelf. Telephones were attached to the wall and each family had just one to share. Clothes were washed then dried on the line. In the middle of those “old days,” though, we still had time to visit our neighbors, enjoy family get-togethers, help each another…and listen to one another.
I know times change. I certainly don’t wish to surrender my microwave, PC, smart phone or Walmart. But sometimes I think we have so much convenience and so many choices…that we simply forget. We forget what really matters, especially Who matters…and the precious people in our lives we have been blessed to love, care, share and bear life together…a life that truly matters.
As Tim and I talked recently, we considered all that has happened to us, within us and around us. As we tried to make sense of our journey, I simply said…”It’s so important…that what’s important…stays important.” Again, it wasn’t a profound statement. But I do believe it was a simple reminder of our lives past, present and future. It isn’t easy to keep life simple in this world. It isn’t easy to know what to do when life’s twists and turns move us in unexpected directions. There aren’t always answers. We don’t always understand. We lose our way and our purpose so easily…and frequently.
Psalm 46: 10 says: “Be still, and know that I am God.” I have recently realized even more deeply the blessing, peace, hope and healing that come from simply being still…so very still…quietly, patiently, totally still…in Him. I cherish the moments I have with Him…as I surrender everything in my life to Him. Listening to Him…trusting Him…and resting in Him…I learn He is most important. The family He has given me is extremely important. Friends and others He places in my life are also important. When all is said and done in my life, I pray that I focused on what was genuinely important.
So much won’t matter when my days are over…and yet so much will matter greatly. In a world of distractions, deception, division and destruction, I pray each breath, each choice, each word, each action and each moment I have left are invested in His love and honor….serving Him, my family and other precious souls…with utmost importance. I pray that I will be still…know that He is God…focus on what matters and release what does not. May the importance of His love become the importance of our lives now…and for eternity. “It’s so important…that what’s important…stays important.”♥~thl
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