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“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

When my middle son was little, he would often tell me that when he married, he was going to buy the house across the street from ours so I could come over for lunch and eat macaroni and cheese with him and his wife.

Fast forward thirty years…  

He still is a big fan of macaroni and cheese, and it was actually his older brother who ended up buying a house across the street from us. But last weekend, God blessed our son with the wonderful wife!

As my husband and I made the drive to Pictured Rocks for the wedding, we found ourselves reminiscing about all the moments that seemed like just yesterday:

• Remember when he had chickenpox so bad that we could barely recognize him?
• Remember when he and his brother tried to duct tape their little sister to the basketball hoop?
• Remember when we arrived at Grandpa's elegant 90th birthday celebration at the fancy hotel that as soon as we opened the van door, he looked at us and announced, "I forgot my shoes."?
• Remember when he proudly backed the car out of the driveway after getting his driver's license and immediately hit the tree?
• Remember sobbing as we dropped him off for college at the University of Michigan, even though he was only 45 minutes from home?
• Remember driving him to Tennessee for his first nursing job, with his entire life packed into his little Chevy Cruze?
• Remember the first time he brought Jess home, and we both quietly thought, "There is something very special and different about the way he’s acting with this one?”

When my children were younger, I spent a lot of time praying through the hard seasons: the sleepless nights, the terrible twos, the endless piles of laundry, the busy schedules, the hormonal years, the beginning driving stage, the college decisions, and all the little frustrations in between. But somehow, before I knew it, those tiny feet that once ran through our house were walking down the aisle.

The saying is really true… time does fly!

As a mom of three grown children, I remember how some days (and even some nights!) seemed to last forever. But looking back now, I can tell you that those years really do go by so quickly.

So treasure it all! Treasure the requests for bedtime stories, the sticky kisses, the broken windows from a rogue fly balls, the laughter around the dinner table, the car rides, the late-night conversations, and, yes, even the moments that test your patience. One day, those ordinary moments will become some of your most treasured memories.

If you're in the middle of raising little ones or guiding your children through their teenage years, take a deep breath and soak it all in. If your children are grown, cherish every phone call, every visit, and every opportunity to spend time together.

Through every season of life, may we thank God for the beautiful gift of family and for His faithfulness through it all.

One day, you may find yourself in my shoes, watching your child get married, and wondering, “How did this happen so quickly?”

Time really does pass quickly, and life is constantly changing. But there is something comforting in knowing that while everything around us changes, Jesus never does!

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” He will be with you throughout this entire beautiful journey!

Blessings on your week,

Mrs. Palka