As the father of two young boys, I hear the same words almost everywhere we go. At a restaurant. In the church lobby. Walking through a store. Someone smiles at my boys doing something funny or sweet, then looks at my wife and me and says, “Enjoy them while you can. They grow up so fast.”
I’ve learned not to brush that off. It’s a quiet warning. Because it’s true.
They do grow up fast. Faster than you expect.
A friend of mine named Aaron often shares moments with his kids online. Nothing fancy. Just real life. Pajamas and air guitar in the living room. Soccer practice. Waiting on the bus. Ordinary days that don’t feel important in the moment.
But he adds the same phrase every time: #7000days.
Seven thousand days. That’s about how long we get before our kids step into adulthood and begin making their own way.
When you think about it like that, it feels different. Those everyday moments start to carry weight. They matter more than we realize.
It’s like he’s saying, “I’ve been given a limited number of days with these kids, and I want to use them well.”
That thought stays with me.
Moses prayed something simple and honest in Psalm 90:12:
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Time isn’t endless. It moves. It passes. Whether we pay attention or not.
You don’t have to be a parent to feel this. All of us are living within a set number of days. We don’t know the total, but we know it’s not unlimited.
Wisdom begins when we start living like that matters.
It’s not really about counting how many days are left. It’s about asking a better question.
How will I use the day in front of me?
Maybe your season feels long. Maybe it feels short. Maybe things are changing faster than you hoped. None of that changes what today holds.
Today is a gift. Today is an opportunity.
So take the time you’ve been given and use it well. Love your people. Pay attention. Be present. Say what needs to be said. Do what God has placed in front of you.
You don’t need to know the total number of your days to live them with purpose.
You just need to be faithful with this one!
Additional Resources
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