Saturday, March 15, 2008

Then Sings My Soul Saturdays - Cinderella






This week has been an especially busy week. Who am I kidding... this year has been an especially busy year. It seems there is always somewhere to go or something to do. I am always late to be somewhere, or behind on housework, or behind on completing the items on my "Things To Do" list. It's what Stephen Covey calls the "Tyranny of the Urgent." If we let those things that need to be done right now, at this moment - take the place of those things that are most important, then we miss out on some pretty spectacular things in life.

There will always be laundry to do. The house will always need to be cleaned. As long as I keep saying "yes" people will continue to ask me to do things for them. Not that I shouldn't say yes to some things, but I need to keep a balance and keep my priorities in order.

As I reflected on several post I read this week, including two of people who have recently lost their small children, I couldn't help with being overwhelmed at the number of times I say to my children... "Yes, I will play in a minute... just let me finish the laundry first... or the dishes... or check email"... or fill in the blank. As I do these things, time is slipping by and I am missing opportunities that unfortunately will not last a lifetime. Time moves quickly and before I know it, my little girl will no longer be little. She will be in middle school, then high school, then college, then married. If I am lucky she will do these things. Should something tragic happen, she would still be gone quickly and I would have missed out on some pretty fabulous moments because I was too busy doing the urgent instead of the important.

I've had a great time this week playing hopscotch, flying kites, fingerpainting, playing playdough and losing at every board game we own to my 4 and 8 year olds. I've read more books and said more prayers and watched more cartoons and danced more dances in princess tiaras than I have in a long time. And I loved every minute of it, even if my house is a wreck right now.

I hope I can maintain my sense of balance. The next time my kids say "Mom, will you play with me?", I hope I will stop what I am doing and dance and play and enjoy my children before are gone. There won't be many more days that my little girl dresses up like Cinderella and begs to play princess and dance.



23 comments:

Kimberly said...

I will not cry. I will not. I will not cry. :)
Okay, this song makes me feel all weepy.
I, too, am trying to do so much better about stopping what I am doing to actually play with my girls. We went outside for a picnic today, and it was so nice. One day, I know I will miss my house being a disaster. I will miss their little clothes, their books and toys everywhere. Sigh.
:)
Thanks, Amy!

Kimberly said...

Oh, I forgot to mention..what a super duper cutie you've got there! Kate was dressed up like a cowboy ballerina today. :) Funny considering my last post.
Have a terrific weekend!

Carol said...

Preach it sister! I need to pull out some play-doh now!

elizabeth embracing life said...

When daughter was three, she would come running into a room saying "mommy really quick, I want to show you this" really quick I want to tell you something" "really quick will you play with me". One day I stopped her and got down on my knees and said Pie-Sweety why do you always say "really quick". With those green eyes, and bobbling blond curls she looked at me and said because all the other things are so important. I told her that she was NEVER to say really quick and that she was more important than anything. From that day on I vowed to never compromise my family for any ministry, service, or school event. I do have balance and I have many terrific memeoris with my kids. I wanted to share that because many of us moms have been there and it's a beautiful thing when our children teach us some of the most valuable of lessons.

Cheri said...

Sniff.. sniff..

You need to prepare us better for something like that! :)



ML sure is a beauty!

Anonymous said...

thank you for the reminder to stop what we are doing and to play with our kids...time goes by way to quickly...

Jenny said...

Great post, we just had a tornado come through Atlanta and more are coming in the morning. I'm up visiting all my favorite sites because I have a fear of tornado's, and tonight they were awful close.

Anyway thanks for the timely reminder!
Jen

Christina said...

I just recently heard this song on a station we just started getting about 5 months ago called KLOV. I showed it to my husband and he can't even watch the whole thing. Our daughter is 17 and he is very close to her so he is dreading her moving on. He dreaded when she went to Bali and is dreading her going to East Timor even more. Thanks for this post I am going to show this to all my friends. It never hurts to remember to take the time to enjoy what is happening right now especially with the kids.

Ceci G. said...

Sigh...I'm so gosh awful weepy these days! Perhaps because I never had that kind of time with my own dad, that song really makes me sad...and partially because my own daughter doesn't have that kind of relationship with her dad either...or maybe it's just the hormones (pregnancy really doesn't last forever, does it?).

Your little ballerina is absolutely beautiful! And your message is one that I need to hear soooo much. This was my first week as a SAHM since early 2002. I am still off-kilter, not sure what to do with myself, but you reminded me again of what I know to be true...there will always be cleaning to do, work to do, but my children will not always be young, and they will not always want me to be a BIG part of their lives. I just pray that I haven't lost too many years with my daughter (she's almost 12 now...sigh).

BTW, I love this meme!

ocean mommy said...

Beautiful post Amy!

This song gets me everytime!

steph.

Andrea @ Mommy Snacks.net said...

What a cutie patootie!!! And, I love that song!! Even though I don't have a little girl, I can totally relate to his message!

valerie said...

Oh my gosh...what a precious video! Thanks for sharing and thanks for the reminder.
Our only daughter got married in Aug. '06 and this brought tears to my eyes remembering the picture of her and her daddy dancing at the reception. It was the happiest day of her life.
Each stage of my kids' lives have been amazing. I'm loving having adult children to enjoy as well and look forward to one day when I'll be a grandma.
Thanks again for the reminder for all of us to enjoy each day and not take people in our lives for granted.
I too read some very sad stories this past week of parents who have lost their children. I've had them on my mind all week. My heart breaks for them.
Have a blessed weekend.
Valerie

Celly B said...

Amy,
I 've visited all the blogs of those posted so far, and I just wanted to let you know I've been so blessed by this meme. I've learned about a lot of songs that I hadn't heard before. Thanks so much for organizing this!

God's girl said...

That is such a great song! I have never heard it. It is so true-they grow up so fast and some things can just wait.
Much love,
Angela

Mindy said...

Oh geez, where are my tissues? We're integrating a new home achooling routine here right now, and my littlest has been feeling neglected I'm sure. I'm learning to let things go a little more and focus on what really, really matters.

By the way this is a great idea for a meme!

Tonya said...

What a FUN new meme! This is my first post with you and I look forward to the next one.

On a more personal note.. we're one of many families who've lost young children. (Ours was 11, he battled cancer for 2 years then went HOME to be with JESUS on Jan. 2, 2007) I still battle with putting our other two boys off. I know NOW MORE THAN EVER how PRECIOUS TIME IS, and yet... I still can't find that balance. There's ALWAYS SOMETHING that needs doing isn't it? =-)

THANKS SO MUCH for hosting.

Love,
Tonya

beckyjomama said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song!!! Oh that Mr. SCC knows how to get at my heart.
Come see mine!!!!
God Bless you,
Becky Jo

Kelley said...

Hi There,
Tonya at Safe in His Arms left me the info about Then Sings My Soul Saturdays. It took me two attempts but I got my link listed. I had actually posted this song earlier in the day but I got so little response on my blog I wonder if everyone has already seen it or maybe no one likes it?! Oh well, this is my first TSSS and I hope to try again next week. Have a Super Sunday!

~~Kelley

Jenifer said...

What a precious song! I can just picture my husband dancing with our daughters. Our children are blessings from the Lord and we need to take every moment we have with them and live it to its fullest- we never know when those moments will be gone.

Thanks for doing this. It is a wonderful blessing. I'd love for you to join me every Friday for "Psalm Friday".

Much love,
Jenifer

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for hosting this Meme I can tell it will fun and uplifting... also thank you for the prize from 5m4m I WON! :o)

-scrappingservant

DeAnna said...

I remember the very first time that I heard that song.... Steven Curtis was being interviewed and was talking about the story behind the song of his little girls that are four and five. It was before it was even laid down on tracks, I think. I cried and cried. I'm so guilty of staying busy with "important things" and not playing enough. Thanks for stomping on my toes. And, next week try not to pick a tear jerker, please!

bp said...

What a wonderful reminder to me as a mother! Thanks!

Melanie said...

Hi, Amy. I love the idea for this meme --I just discovered it on another participating blog yesterday. My blog is very new and I actually have been sharing a few songs that are very meaningful to me. I think I'll just take what I've been doing and start joining in with "Then Sings My Soul Saturdays". Music is so powerful. Thanks so much for getting this started!