"Like Sand Thru the Hourglass, So are the Days..."

I've made it a habit to tuck my kids into bed each night since they were infants. This continues a tradition from my childhood. Even as a senior, my father would walk in after I'd gone to bed to ask how my day went and pray with me. Those are valuable memories to me.

Tonight, I'm listening as my sixth grade daughter reads me the last two pages of the chapter she's on before turning in. I'm watching her face as she reads and it strikes me how fast time has gone by and how soon she'll be gone. [I don't think I'm gonna do well when that day gets here.] So, right as I'm about to comment on how old she's getting, she beats me to the punch with, "Hey Dad, look how much gray you're getting in your sideburns!" She says she remembers when I didn't have any gray at all. And it dawned on me that we're both watching each other grow older. Time isn't slowing down for either of us. In fact, it may be that time speeds up the older you get.

Each night I lay down and realize this day will never come again. That's one less day to spend with those I love and to accomplish the mission God's given me. It moves me to reflect on how I spend the time that is passing by so quickly.

In moments of clarity like this, I see that one of Satan's strongholds in my life is distraction. If he can get me to miss a conversation with my son because I'm busy on Facebook, score one for the Bad Guy. Each time I miss praying with my eight year old because I was waiting for the next commercial before going up to his room, the Good Guys fall farther behind. I know that ultimately God wins but this is hardly an excuse for opportunities wasted, conversations that never happen, prayer warriors never trained, and relationships gone undeveloped.

Maybe it's time I wake up, turn off the TV and focus on my own family and mission. Yeah, I'll do it. After the next commercial.