Little Moments

The other night, I sat up late with my oldest daughter.  Chatting about her day, and some of the troubles that come with being a senior in high school, we let the minutes slip away and turn into hours.  I love this kid.  I love her brother and sister just as much.  But here in the late night quiet, as we chat, I see the beautiful young lady she is becoming.  Next year, she will venture out into the world with out her mom and dad.  She will pursue her dreams and set new goals.   But hopefully. . . occasionally. . . we will get to share a late night chat. 

As I look back over the last 18 years, I think of all the little moments. The ones we take for granted.  The mundane, the ordinary, the routine we are in.  What if that was all taken away in an instant?  What if I never got to sit up and have a late night chat with the girl.  Or read with the boy?  Or giggle in the kitchen with the big little sister?  (she is taller than her big sis)  What if I never got to snuggle with that wonderful man who still loves me after all these years? 

This week, two friends are facing that question.  What if?  As I pray for them and their loved ones, I am thankful for the peace I have in my faith, knowing they share the same faith. 

But I also think of the gifts and talents God has given me.  I help to capture those little moments, sometimes the big moments.  I try to give my clients a little sliver of time, they will never have again.  I try to give my family the same thing.  We have tons of photos to browse through.  Thousands upon thousands I would imagine.  But it always brings us joy to look back at them.  To remember those little moments, realizing they were probably big moments in disguise.  I am so glad I have them.  And glad to have the people in my life that helped create them, (the photo's and the moments!) 

Don't wait until it is too late to capture your little moments in photographs.  Don't wait until "what if" happens.  Use your phone, use your ipad, use your camera or hire a professional.  But take photo's.  Lots of them.  Then print them out and enjoy them.  Don't leave them on some electronic device to have time or circumstance ruin them.  Those are stolen moments.  Moments that cheat time.  Moments you can hold onto and pass down to the next generation.  Those are the moments your life was and is made of.