Three Little Chairs

My youngest, who is 2 1/2, loves to organize. I walked out on our patio one day to find these pint-sized chairs perfectly arranged in a half circle, and that's when it struck me... One day, this is what I'll come home to.

Quiet. Order. Vacancy.
(Doesn't sound so bad, huh?)

No screaming little girls on the trampoline.

No giggles from the swingset.

 No painting mess on the picnic table.

Just empty little chairs - and the memories of what we did in them. This thought inspired me. I have such a short time to influence these precious lives before they go off on their own into the world! And part of their success will be determined by the lessons they learned in these little chairs: hearing Bible stories that teach them to obey God, no matter what; rooting for each other at soccer games; having campfires in our backyard as a family. I wonder, What else do I need to teach them, while they're still in these little chairs?


Whenever I see these chairs now, it reminds me to make every day count with my kids. I tell myself that the girls hopefully probably won't remember the laundry piles, but they will definitely remember if I was stressed out about them. They may not remember how many goals they scored in peewee soccer, but they will remember that I was always on the sidelines, cheering them on. And when they are grown and out of the house, I'd rather miss the mess than those memories :)