Through a Mother's Eyes

Chasing Sunsets

BY DIANE CHEVELDAYOFF

We all have those times when we are content with where we are and what we are doing, but then we are asked to step away from our own comfort to fulfill our children’s desires. When my girls were young, my husband was quick to drop his routine for our children, but that selfless service took me a little while to learn. It doesn’t matter what age our children may be, we are still their parents, and it will always be important to share special moments with them. And as they grow older, if we aren’t intentional with our time, we may miss those precious moments and memories altogether. You know the old saying, “Take time to smell the roses”? If we apply this, it can help eliminate all doubt or regret of our own short-sightedness.

One of our most precious times as a family started with one daughter’s request to chase the sunset. Her desire soon grew to our whole family running mad, chasing the sunset with intentional effort. We have raced through some pretty harsh areas to get to a point to see the display in the sky, and I have to admit, there are times I wonder why we did. Yet, deep down, I knew why I did, and remembering the why will keep you going regardless of circumstances or even the outcome.

Some sunsets we chased were incredibly vibrant, with every color and tone imaginable, and others were just so-so. But all had indescribable beauty. Sometimes, we stood in awe, taking in the majestic display and snapping picture after picture. Other times, we sat in silence, enjoying the calmness and peacefulness exuding from the sky at the end of the day. Almost every time, we were reminded to stay until the very end as the vibrant colors intensified and changed, transforming the sky and the landscape by its reflection. Isaiah 30:18 tells us the importance of waiting on God: "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait on Him!" (NIV) Just like a sunset, our circumstances can change so quickly. Too often, we give up, leaving and then realizing we missed the best part.

Our fun adventure of chasing the sunset started a tradition, which, in turn, created thought-provoking and lasting memories. Kids don’t care if dinner is getting cold on the table, nor should we. The time we carve out from our day to give to our children helps them see so much more than what meets the eye. Recently, one of our grown daughters posted a set of sunset pictures on social media, revealing the special memory instilled in her. She stated, “This is my favorite way to end my day. Dedicating time to watch God showing off each and every day.” You see, she sees more in a sunset than the beauty in the colors. Although a sunset or your child’s smile may be spectacular, when you step back and see the Creator in the Creation, the glory of God becomes alive, turning a moment of content into a moment filled with God’s undeniable power.

Paul reminds us in 1 Cor. 2:9, "'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived' -- the things God has prepared for those who love him." (NIV). This scripture came to my mind as I recently stood alone, taking in the beauty of a sunset. Our minds do not have the capacity to truly understand all that God has created and all that He has for us. Our eyes cannot see the realms of glory beyond our scope. Our nature is to only see what’s on the surface and not look deeper. But God wants us to look deeper! While we may find comfort in the way things are, if we listen to a child’s request, or the Holy Spirit’s voice, we may be led out of our comfort to experience something extraordinary.

It takes a lot of effort to have friends. It takes even more patience to be a friend. And although our children will always be our children, it takes effort and patience to develop a relationship with them, too. Just like a sunset, if we don’t chase after our children and patiently wait for their colors to radiantly transform everything around them, we could miss one of the most spectacular sights God has for us as parents. A parent-child relationship can go beyond friendship - creating incredible moments and memories which hopefully will cause you to slow down and realize it was worth all the effort and the wait, all with no regrets!

Diane is a professional meeting planner with over 40 years in the hospitality industry - planning, contracting, and executing meetings and events worldwide. (www.ExecutiveDiamond.com) She and her husband Les have been married over 30 years, have three beautiful adult girls, and work together in their ministry, HALO Highway, Healing through drama, music and other art forms. (www. HALOHighway.com) In addition to writing for WWL, Diane loves serving in Leadership and Finance and can be reached at Diane@ ExecutiveDiamond.com or Diane@WomenWorldLeaders.com

Photo of Jamie Cheveldayoff, credit to Philip V.