Last Monday evening found our family scurrying around getting ready for one of our annual traditions: family photos.

This year we decided to go with a local photographer instead of the popular department store (sorry, Wally World!)

Like an obsessive  a normal mother, I wanted everyone to look perfect.

Brown and turquoise- this year’s colour- check.

Second outfit for kids- check.

Tiny Daughter, wear your brown shoes instead of those hot pink crocs. Thank you. And please don’t have a conniption on me while I do your hair. Yes, it’s going to hurt. It’s going to send searing pain into your head, but it’s worth it to look beautiful! I promise the agony will be over in minutes. (Then before bed we’ll take it all out and you’ll cry again, but we’ll cross that bridge…later.) We’ll cross this one…now!

Small Son, practice your normal smile. No, not goofy! Just a normal smile. Less teeth….better. Yes, like that!

Handsome Husband, yes, you  need to wear a tie. Sure, next year we can just go casual. Remind me.

An hour and a half and a photo session later, we headed home.

Find us sitting at the intersection one block from our house, right in front of our church.

We got a green arrow to turn left. We did so.

But we weren’t the only ones who moved. Somehow, a car across the intersection thought that red means go.

They proceeded straight toward us, not showing any signs of realizing their error.

Brakes slammed. I braced for impact. It was going to be me. Life flashes.

A split second later, I braced for Small Son. It was going to be him. His life flashes.

Then we realized we needed to accelerate, not brake.

“Go! Go! Go!” I said, like it was all one word.

We shot forward, ever so thankful that no one was turning right on red (that would have been an accident for sure).

My heart pounded and my whole body was shaking from the shock. It’s the second time in my life that a vehicle was seemingly inches from my door, their hood staring at my window. It’s the second time in my life that I have braced my body, waiting for the impact…that never came.

It was so close that even the kids recognized what had happened.

Small Son’s comments? “Well, Mommy and I are ready for Heaven, but Charity’s not.” And, “If Mommy went to Heaven, Daddy could marry someone else.”  All true, Small Son, but you are a young brave and there is much that you do not understand.

My thoughts?

What if those were our last family photos?

How sweet if that was the last thing we did together.

I almost lost my son.

This night could have changed our lives forever.

I was impatient with my family before we left….oh, the regrets I could have now. Do have now.

How many special moments with my children did I lose while I made everything perfect?

It was a reality check for me.

 When we strive for perfection we ultimately get frustration.

A goal of perfection drives us to focus more on things than on people.

Things often don’t cooperate, leaving us frustrated.

Frustration dampens special times with family.

Guilty.

Now is always the time to cherish moments with those we love.

Moments don’t have to be perfect to be memorable…or beautiful.

Oh, how quickly things can change!

I’m reliving the experience as I type. My heart is crying again. It’s good for me.

I choose to cherish the Treasures in my life.

And I choose gratitude for my Father’s careful gracing and guarding of His Treasures that He’s letting me love for awhile.

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14

With Grace,

Leah