I had a sneak preview of the future recently.

Carson, our daughter, was honored to be selected as a member of Knoxville’s Junior Assembly Class of 2015.  It’s an award based on grades, activities and leadership.  The culminating event involved a formal dance.  The women wore white formal dresses. The men wore tuxedos.  It was a bit fancier than most Saturday evenings spent by the Carvers, I can assure you.

Carson looked stunning.  She and Hollianne had picked out the perfect dress.  On the day before my baby girl had played a hard game of basketball in her West High uniform and athletic shoes, and by the next evening she was transformed into an elegant, beautiful young woman in a white winter formal and heels.

The highlight of the evening for me was the Father/Daughter dance.  The dance only lasted five minutes, but it gave Carson and me the opportunity to talk about her day, her year at West High and share a funny moment or two about growing up in the Carver household.

I wanted to freeze this moment in time.  Frozen.  Yes…I wanted time to stop.  I suddenly realized how fast time was passing.  Today she was a high school sophomore, but in her beautiful dress and in this elegant location I couldn’t help but think about a possible wedding day in the future.

Today’s events are too quickly becoming yesterday’s distant memories.  Where had the time gone?  I wished that the days could slow down.

It reminded me about the importance of the moment.  Every moment of every day.  My sudden feelings of melancholy regarding my daughter did not develop all at once, but over a lifetime of moments.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

We are called by Jesus to be relationship people.  We are called to love others…to invest in their lives.  We need to take time out of our busy days to create moments with the others around us.  Neighbors, teachers, brothers, parents, co-workers…all of these people deserve patience, love and support.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:11

Let’s pledge this week to invest in those around us.  Let’s create moments with others that can turn into lasting memories.  As Jesus followers, we owe this to one another.

Please pray for me, and let me know how I may pray for you this week.

God bless.

Keith