"When my kids are grown one day, I want them to look back at their childhood and think, Wow, Mum really enjoyed us. I want them to know that the privilege of being their mum was always greater than any hardship, annoyance, or inconvenience. I want them to know what a gift they were to me every single day." Casey Huff
Time
Life gives us the gift of time.
Motherhood is one of those roles that we need a constant reminder to "cherish the time." There are countless lists to get done when you’re a mum, the chores and jobs are never ending and all part of the journey. But the list can also dominate our time, and cause us to miss some of the moments we need to be most present for. The childhood years are full of wonder, discovery, growth, learning, adventure and relationships that shape hearts, characters, minds and lives! Never underestimate the value of the time you spend with the children in your life.
You are bigger in their world than you can possibly comprehend. Children take note of so much more than we often realise, and the time you spend with them is one thing you will both cherish forever. The "to do" list will be in your home forever, your children won’t be. The time that we have the next generation in our grasp and in our homes goes by far more quickly than we can imagine. As the saying goes, "the days are long, but the years are short." How true this is!
So give yourself permission to lay on the grass with your kids, play on the swings a little longer, go shopping with your teenage daughter, play board games together, stop for that ice-cream by the beach, sit in the mess with toddlers and cuddle your new born for hours, soak in the years you will only get once in a lifetime….and remember the sweet gift of time is yours to spend however you choose.
Mandy Furlong
Residing in Queensland, Mandy Furlong is a passionate advocate for building families that are thriving, and creating legacies for the kingdom of God for generations to come. A wife, mother to 5 incredible children, primary teacher, homeschooler & ordained pastor, Mandy lives to see people understand the power and gift of relationships and community. For more encouragement follow @raisingrevivalists.