Day 17: The Clock.

We have a clock hanging in our living room. I bought it for the wall in our last house and when I brought it home, I insisted that it be hung on the wall above the recliner where I used to sit every morning, sip my coffee, and read my Bible. As we were settling in and hanging things on the walls of our new house I had a hard time deciding where it should go. I knew I wanted it in our living room, but it’s an awkward room and the walls don’t have much “usable space” for hanging decor. Needless to say, I finally found a spot. And there it hangs.

There’s nothing special or fancy about it. It wasn’t overly expensive. And yet it’s one of my favorite pieces in our home for one reason: it ticks. When the house is silent early in the morning I sip my coffee, read my Bible, and I listen to it tick. And when the kids are fast asleep in the evenings and I’m writing or reading or just sitting with the dog curled up in my lap, I listen to it tick. I find it ironic that as a person who often longs for silence, I spend my silence listening for that sound.

I listen as it ticks away the minutes of the lives of the six, wild, loud people who live under this roof. I hear it tick the hours that we spend apart–sometimes in different rooms, sometimes on different continents. It ticks away all the moments that we share and all the memories that we make. It is my steady, constant reminder that these days are fleeting and they are meant to be savored.

Every morning that ticking invites me to pray. It reminds my eyes and heart to be diligently searching for the gifts that each new day will bring. It prompts me to embrace each opportunity to love these people well. It reminds me that although our lives occurs within these walls, our eternity is being prepared in a very different, and far better home.

That clock it challenges me to remember that I only have one chance to get this right. There are no do-overs, no rewinds, and no take-backs. It inspires me to soak up all the smiles, gather up the giggles, and breathe in all the beauty of this one, extraordinary life I’ve been blessed with. It encourages me to spend these days pointing these people toward the One who is eagerly awaiting our arrival. I must cherish these moments and make them count toward our eternity…toward our Home where there will be no ticking clocks decorating the walls.