I do love a good country song. There truly are no lyrics like you find in a country classic. Recently I heard the song “Last Time for Everything” by Brad Paisley. Wow! The more I hear the song, the deeper it takes me. The truth should resonate in all of our lives. Take a look at a few of the lyrics:
Throwing the ball with the first dog you ever had
Spending all day on the lake with your grandad
Watching Glenn Frey sing “Already Gone” at the Forum in LA
There’s a last time for everything
Last call, last chance
Last song, last dance
Sometimes you just don’t know when that’s gonna be
Biscuits and gravy at momma’s house
(Last time for everything)
Spring break on a fold out couch
(Last time for everything)
Little Jimmy on the Opry stage
(Last time for everything)
Hearing Prince sing “Purple Rain”
(Last time for everything)*
Everyday memories are priceless. We get caught up in the struggles, responsibilities, and daily grind and fail to look around and cherish the last times. Each day holds a moment that will never be recaptured.
One of my favorite verses about the birth of Jesus occurs after the shepherds have visited the baby and have left to spread the word about the child. Mary didn’t fret or begin cleaning the stable or attempt to plan for tomorrow. Luke 2:19 shows us what she did: But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. She dwelt in the moment and thought about the magnitude of what was happening. She wanted to remember them and tuck them in her heart because this day would not come again.
What about you? Are you weary of changing diapers? Do you complain about how hot it is at your son’s baseball game? Wish that your visit with your grandparents would move quickly? Rush through your day without a glance at the “lasts” that might be occurring all around you? That last diaper change means your baby is growing too fast. Not sitting in the heat at a baseball game means that your son will no longer take the field. Not having to visit your grandparents means they’re no longer on this earth.
The song convicted me. I spent a week contemplating the lyrics and made up my own list:
- Sitting at Nana’s kitchen table with coconut cream pie
- Racing my sister on our matching purple bicycles
- Driving in my 1972 blue Mustang with the radio blaring
- Walking across my college campus as a student
- Playing Monopoly with my nephew
- Decorating bulletin boards for another year of teaching
All things will end, and sometimes they come to a halt before we ever realize their significance. Join me in searching for and cherishing “last times.” This holiday season is the perfect time to “ponder them in your heart.”
*“Last Time for Everything,” Love and War, Arista Nashville, 2017.
About Shelley Pulliam
Howdy! (A girl from Oklahoma has to use this as her greeting) I’m Shelley Pulliam, executive director of Arise Ministries and former teacher of hormone-filled 8th graders. But my real claim to fame rests in my award as second grade spelling bee champ and my recent gun-handling skills as I train to competition shoot. It helps me be on guard when Satan comes knocking. I’m a voracious reader and can frequently be found at the theater enjoying movie marathons where my record stands at six in one day. I’m a single, never married, who loves to pour into children at every opportunity. Let me know if you have any for sale. You can connect with me on social media. https://www.instagram.com/shelleypulliam/