I’ve taken a picture of each of my kids every day of their lives. Most days I’ve taken far more than one picture, and some days I’m scrambling to grab a single picture of the four of them as we’re wrapping up our bedtime blessings. Somehow, we’ve never missed a day. Charleston, who is old enough to understand the significance of this ritual, has even offered to bring his polaroid camera to summer camp this year so he can take selfies, preserving the streak on his first days away from us.*

I know that there will come a day when I forget to grab a photo, or when the kids are away from me without access to a camera, and those streaks will come to an end. For now, it’s a cherished way of commemorating each day of my kids’ lives and celebrating these little ones who are so precious to me. I may not recall the specifics of every day, but I have photo documentation (and extensive journals!**) to preserve the memories of these long days and short years.

We’ll get back to the topic of my photo-taking ritual in a bit, but stick with me for now as I jump to the subject of another daily routine: Scripture. I recently had one of those fun instances when the themes of my two (totally separate) daily Bible readings converged. The first was from Numbers 15, as part of my annual read through the Bible along with The Bible Recap. In that passage, God instructs Moses to give the Israelites a message about a specific worship practice: “Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God.” These tassels (which Jesus Himself would one day wear) were to serve as an external reminder to live in worshipful obedience to God.

The second reading was of Psalm 145, which I prayed every day that week along with my women’s Bible study. The psalm is a powerful proclamation of God’s greatness, beginning in verse 1 with, “I exalt you, my God the King, and bless your name forever and ever,” and ending twenty-one verses later with, “My mouth will declare the Lord’s praise; let every living thing bless his holy name forever and ever.” The psalm was penned by King David, who lived hundreds of years after the Israelites’ time in the wilderness, but it mirrors themes from the passage in Numbers, with both chapters speaking to the importance of remembering the Lord’s commands, worshipping Him, and declaring His works from one generation to the next.

From the time King David penned that worshipful psalm, we can fast forward about a thousand years to the life of another king—The King—who also had a great deal to say about worship, celebration, and remembrance. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus exhorts His followers to reflect on the things we value most so that we can invest in things of eternal value. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). It’s a simple statement with immense impact, reminding us that what we value most will capture our hearts and guide our actions. The things we reflect on and cherish have the power to determine the direction of our lives. The implication here is that when we cherish The Lord and prioritize obedience to Him, our focus will be on the Kingdom of God as we draw ever closer to Him.

Psalm 145 and Numbers 15 have significance for us today. As modern-day Christians, we no longer wear blue-corded tassels on our garments, but that does not excuse us from the call to “remember all the commands of the Lord,” that we might obey them. Our worship may (or may not!) look a little different from the poetic psalms of David, but the God we worship remains unchanged. He is still deserving of our praise and adoration. And He asks to be the treasure that captivates our hearts.

When I take daily pictures of my kids, I am celebrating and remembering the children that I love. The ritual stems from my affection for them, and perpetuating this tradition serves to enhance that devotion. On a much greater level, I worship the Lord because I love Him and because He is deserving of my complete and total adoration. In worshipping Him, I am declaring that He is my treasure, and the declaration itself further fuels my love for my Creator.

Heavenly Father, I exalt you and bless your name forever and ever. You are a great and mighty God—gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abiding in love. In your Word, you say that you fulfill the desires of those who fear you. I pray that you will shape my desires so that I crave a relationship with You above all else. Help me to keep my eyes set on your everlasting Kingdom so that my heart may rest there with You.

*In the few instances I’ve been away from any of the kids for more than a day, they’ve been with a family member (either Daddy or their grandparents) who was able to play pinch hitter for me on photo-taking duties.

** I also have not missed a day of long-form journaling since I began making Day One entries on January 1, 2014.