What is really important

The last couple of days I have shared a few different stories with all of you. (God allowed me to go through a mess in the middle of my story time and I believe that in due time it will bring Him glory!) Anyways, what was the point of all of my stories?????

 

The point that I want to come across through my stories is, what is really important in your life?

 

After the school shooting, the Christmas holiday and conversations I have had with different people lately, I felt God leading me to write this post. If you are one of the MANY people I have had a conversation with about any of these subjects please do not be offended this is NOT an attack on you in any way!!

 

Over the past couple of weeks what has been consuming everyone's thoughts?? (Not everyone..... but a large majority of the population.) The first thing was GIFTS! What am I going to buy my mom, sister, brother, dad, best friend, kids, teacher, wife, husband, dog....... for Christmas. Is there something wrong with wanting to buy people gifts? No, not at all.

 

BUT........ I would see people post on FB please pray for 'Bob' because they can't afford to give their kids gifts this year. I saw my Pastor's wife posting about people coming to the church asking for the church to buy gifts for their kids. We have organizations like Toys for Tots to make sure our kids get stuff for Christmas. Like that is THE most important thing about Christmas. **Everyone who reads this blog knows that I am a Christian and obviously I think that Christ is the most important thing about Christmas, but that is actually not what this blog is about, stick with me :)

 

The second thing that people were talking about daily was the shooting at the elementary school. I saw people post and people talk about holding their kids a little tighter that day, or they turned off their computer to play with their kids that day and a couple days that followed. It was such a tragedy and people couldn't believe it happened. I am not at all trying to downplay what happened. It was horrible no question about that, but why does it take something horrible happening to make people care a little more about others??

 

Here is a good example.....

Since I have started blogging I have a good following of people who read my blog every time I blog. Then, when I went through my worst night ever, the number of people who read my blog that day quadrupled...... Why does it take me going through something horrible for people to "care" about me??

 

The fact is you do not know what is going to happen next week, tomorrow or even later today. My mom died the day after she seemed better than she had ever been. Mariela went from a spunky happy kid to being on a breathing machine and possibly having her brain drilled into. Michael and I were in an accident that wasn't too bad, but what if it had been worse and we wouldn't have been ok??

 

Do you think my kids would have been thinking I wish my parents would have bought me an iPad before they died?? I highly doubt that.

When I think about my mom, I don't think I wish she would have bought me xyz.... I think, I wish I could have spent more time with her.

 

I have other mom's who will tell me, I wish I could be a stay at home mom like you, but we just can't afford it. No, what you can't afford, is to give up your lifestyle, there is a difference. We don't have cable, we don't have really nice cars, we buy our clothes from second hand stores or yard sales. My 3 older kids have lived a part of their life with me working outside of the home. Awhile back they said something about wanting something and I said, well I can go back to work so we have more money. They ALL quickly said no and to this day have NEVER said anything about not having "stuff".

 

The fact is your stuff doesn't matter!!! The family and friends that you have in your life do matter!!! Please, don't wait until something "bad" happens in your life or the life of someone you know before you start loving on your family and friends. If I were to die tomorrow, I don't ever want my family or friends to be able to say, I wish I could have spent more time with her. I want them to be able to say remember all of the fun times we had together.

 

No, we may not have a lot of money and I may not buy my kids a lot of stuff that we can't afford, but they get loved on everyday of the year! I didn't need a school shooting to make me stop using the computer and spend time with my family. I didn't need a car accident to make me hug my kids a little tighter. I do that stuff daily!!! My kids and my husband are my world and I make sure that they know this EVERYDAY of their lives!! I also try to go out of my way to make sure my friends know how much I love them. I have people over and cook them dinner and hang out. It may not be much, but it is a day that I am able to serve them and spend time with them and I know that for my real friends that is enough.

 

I really want to encourage all of you who read my blog as we come up on the end of the year and start a new one to look at this past year. If you or someone you loved wasn't here tomorrow what would you regret? Would you regret not buying them something?? Or would you regret the time that you should have or could have spent with them?? Then this next year spend everyday showing your loved ones that they are what is most important in your life...... Not your stuff. You really don't know what tomorrow holds and you don't want to regret the time you missed out on with someone :)

 

Happy New Year's eve.... be careful tonight!!!!