Now that Christmas is over, the next thing nearing is the end of another year.

Life is a journey – one continuous storyline waiting to be discovered. Each day’s events build upon another. The sun sets. The sun rises. A new day arrives and the journey continues.

We all pass through chapters in our lives. At times we may wish the present chapter would end, so a new one could begin. However, each detail of the story carries importance.

Every moment counts. Each opportunity to connect with our children and spouse is a gift. All decisions matter. Laughter and fun is priceless. Life is a journey.

A truly fulfilled and happy life isn’t one that just allows one day to run into the next, but one that stops long enough to discover the treasurers hidden along the way.

Make the most of each day. Before you know it, another year will pass.

Life is full of decisions—both big and small. Daily we make choices–some reap blessings, others bring messes. The hard part comes in not knowing the outcome.

It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. – Roy Disney

It sounds simple but can we identify our values on any given topic? Do we know where we stand and why? To know where we’re heading begins with knowing where we want to be.

With a daughter in high school, the topic of choices is a frequent discussion around our house. Colleges. Classes. Careers. Volunteer time. GPA. Time management. Knowledge. We talk about her passions and what she wants to do for a career, and then work backwards. What does she need to do to pursue this particular goal? What choices need to be made today to ensure that goal is reached?

Choices as a parent aren’t any different. We need to assess what is important to our family and determine what we want to instill in our children and then work backwards. We discover what we need to do to pursue a goal and decide what choices to make today to ensure that goal is reached.

Just remember, whatever the situation or whatever the goal, our choices today make up our future.

While on the treadmill this morning, I listened to my new playlist I downloaded from my daughter’s music. Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, Do Everything, started and I grunted my agreement with the lyrics:

You’re picking up toys on the living room floor
for the 15th time today
Matching up socks and sweeping up lost
Cheerios that got away

You put a baby on your hip and color on your lips
and head out the door
And while I may not know you I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes does it matter at all

As a mom, there are times where we all wonder if what we do as a mom is insignificant. Let’s face it — when was the last time you heard of a prize given out for laundry folding? Do you see cashiers at the grocery store giving you a thumbs-up or cheering you on for going grocery shopping? And what real lasting value does sweeping have anyway (apart from wear and tear on the floors)?

Compared to the completion of a large project at my husband’s work or a successful day teaching homeschooling, it’s easy to feel like the mundane things I do every day are hardly worth mentioning. Yet, that is far from the truth.

Not only are we to reflect God’s glory in everything we do, we never know what little thing will have a monumental impact. Good, bad, or otherwise, our children watch what we do and see our attitude in doing it. That’s enough to make us think twice, right?

So, no matter what we’re doing – it matters!