Life Goals

22. August 2007, 16:20 UhrUncategorizedmrswilson
  • Stop procrastinating
  • Make memories with my children

  • Be the best wife I can be

  • Spend time with my Lord daily
  • Never go to bed angry
  • Always put my family before my addictions (blogging, scrapbooking, TV, ebay …)
  • Take a trip each year, even if it’s a short one
  • Attend each and every one of my childrens’ concerts
  • … I’m sure I could keep adding to this … but I have to listen to #6!

*****

Every month we get a Focus on the Family bulletin insert in our weekly church bulletin. I love reading them because (1) I’m a sucker for Dr. James Dobson and (2) I am a sucker for a good story. This is the story that came in this last week’s insert. It made me quite sad, but it inspired me (see #2 in the list above).

“Daddy, can we build a birdhouse today?” my 7-year-old daughter, Makenah, asked me early one Saturday morning as I was knee-deep in a “honey-do” project list.

“Well …” I hesitated. With a house and four children under 8, I had discovered that my project list never ended. I had tucked away the birdhouse instructions for weeks, after promising Makenah we would build it someday.

I paused a moment and took to heart my wife’s daily mantra: “Let’s make a memory.” Then without hesitation, I decided that “someday” had just arrived.

“OK, Makenah. Let’s build that birdhouse.”

We spent the afternoon measuring, cutting, and piecing together spare cedar planks in the garage. Makenah colored arrows, directing the birds to the food.

A few weeks later, memories such as this one were all I had left of my family. As we drove home from a relative’s wedding one stormy evening, our minivan was caught in a flash flood. My wife of nearly 12 years and all four of our small children went home to heaven. Somehow, I survived.

Amid the perpetual pain of missing my family, I have peace because I cherished them while I could. I built that birdhouse with Makenah - seven weeks before it was too late. We spent quality time with our children; I have no regrets.

Today, start living a life of no regrets with your family. Make a memory. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow.

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2 comments:

  1. Teresa, 23. August 2007, 3:26

    That is SO sad. But, I guess it puts life in perspective a bit. A good reminder to enjoy moments with the fam, and not take them for granted.

     
  2. Christi, 23. August 2007, 14:41

    I really appreciate your goals. That’s awesome! Thanks for posting this.