Teddy says, "Enjoy this ride because it will not last for long."

Let me introduce you to Teddy.  Isn't he cute?  Sixteen years ago, Uncle Danny came to visit and brought this teddy bear to Rebekah as a  gift. Affectionately named Teddy, my sweet tenderhearted Rebekah absolutely loved this bear and promised to sleep with him every night.   When she was little, she would cuddle him in her arms as she fell asleep.  When she was scared, she had to hold Teddy in her arms for comfort and protection.  At the age of 10, she had a traumatic ear piercing event.  Her ears became infected and were actually swollen over the front of the earring.  We had to literally puncture the swollen area and push the earring back through the front. It was extremely painful for both Mom and Rebekah.  Guess who was there to witness this traumatic event?  Teddy.  She was holding him as tight as she could to keep from screaming out in pain.   

Fast forward to this past Easter weekend.  Rebekah came home for the weekend.  We had such a sweet time of fellowship.  Sunday came way too quickly and it was time for her to pack up that little yellow bug and travel back to college.   Monday morning, as I cleaned her room, I found Teddy on the floor under some blankets which had fallen to the floor.  I picked Teddy up and looked at him for just a moment. While holding Teddy in my hands, a flood of sweet memories came back and a flood of tears started to well up in my eyes. Oh how I remember the day she first received him as a gift.  I remember her being sick in her bed holding tightly to him.  I remember the earring fiasco and so much more.  Teddy didn't make it to college with her.  He was replaced with a pillow pet.  Making her bed, I gently placed sweet Teddy and all of his memories prominently in the center of her pillows.  

Are you beginning to understand why Teddy says "Enjoy this ride because it will not last for long?"   Now that I have a child in college, I truly understand how quickly time literally races by. No need to rush through your children's childhood and teenage years.   Enjoy every moment that you can because that day when they are only home on the weekends is going to come much sooner than you think.

Psalms 4:7a "Thou hast put gladness in my heart....." I am so thankful to my Lord for giving me such a blessing in my children!  I truly have gladness in my heart and praise Him for them!