The one thing you don't want to miss

I've really been enjoying the song, One Life to Love by 33 Miles, which, by the by, is a FREE download on iTunes through Monday. You can click this link:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=292674314&s=143441

The chorus talks about having only one shot at the one thing you don't want to miss... I've been thinking a lot about that thought lately.

What's the one thing I don't want to miss?

Today, my sweet B turned 8.

The plan was for me to post something very sweet about her, showing pictures of how she's grown. Sadly, not a lot of her baby pics are digital and/or are somewhere in hubby's compy and I can't find them. However, I've spent the past couple of hours looking through all the photos on my computer, and I am overwhelmed by all the memories. So many moments. Some I remember so clearly. Some I don't. Others I wish would've happened differently. And many that until I looked back, I failed to appreciate just what magic they were.

For example, we often refer to the youngest as "The Terrorist." As I looked at pics of B at the same age and younger, I can remember some of the stories behind the pics... feeling frustrated because she was acting like such a monster. I forgot that we called B "The Monster."

The same little girl who, this past week at parent teacher conferences, was called "delightful." Her teacher couldn't say enough good about her. She's eager to learn, well-liked by the other students and staff, at or above grade level on all of her subjects. We walked through the book fair and a couple of girls randomly hugged her. I asked her what it was about and she looked genuinely confused. "I don't know, Mom, for some reason, everyone likes to hug me."

I know the reason.

I am so humbled by the incredible children we're raising. Friday night, we had a conversation with the senior in high school about her future plans. I was so amazed at what a level-headed young lady she's becoming. She's so intent on her goals. Tonight, hubby and I were talking about the college guy and how he's making some decisions requiring a great deal of maturity. I once spent hours on my knees over those two and the scrapes they got into. And here they are... not perfect, not done yet, but wow... I am in awe.

My daughter's teacher told us that it's clear she's in a good home with good parents raising her right. My friend Amy once told me that I was a good example to her and that she had a lot of admiration for me as a parent. So many days, I sit here, crying, praying, wondering how I'm going to get through the next day. How either my children or I will not survive their childhood.

I will tell you with all the honesty in me that any success I have had as a parent is because the Lord has carried us through it all. One of my favorite verses is I Samuel 7:12, where Samuel sets up a stone he names Ebenezer because "Thus far, the Lord helped us." As I looked through the photos tonight, I realized how many of them are Ebenezers to me. At each moment, I could clearly see, "thus far, the Lord has helped us."

When I look at the one thing I don't want to miss... this is it.

Each moment is so precious. Even the most desperate, the scariest, and yes, those times where the camera captures the absolute horror and panic over the latest horror the children have put me through. Those moments are the times when we can look back and clearly see just how God has helped us. You can't pick any single one of them to miss, because through the good and through the bad, God's mercy and grace shines through. And trust me, you don't want to miss it.