Memories are Made

We just finished installing laminate flooring onto the bedroom floors.  The first floor we tackled was the kids’ room so they were displaced into another room in the house for sleeping for a couple days.  Matthew wasn’t too excited when the lights went out the first night so I stayed for a little while telling him stories from my childhood.  I realized that the memories I had were much attributed to all the pictures my mom took through the years of the activities we did.  She put them in albums that we frequently looked at and showed relatives when they visited.

In this day and age we take millions of pictures and post them to Facebook but are we stopping long enough to print them and stick them in albums?  When my kids were first born I made small albums online (in lieu of store-bought baby albums).  How do you preserve those memories of your family’s history?

As a mom, I can now look to my mom and thank her for capturing those snapshots of our family history and taking the time to create those albums that have become my memories from childhood.   I read 1 Thessalonians today and thought of my mom in this verse:

“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father;” 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (underlining and italics mine)

Swimming Pool Lights and Rear View Mirrors

        With a child in Florida and another in Virginia, our two oldest children communicate through texting.  Our oldest daughter is 22 years old and a month away from celebrating her 1^st wedding anniversary.  Our manchild is in his second year of college.

         They both love their lives.  Michelle is striving to get the “wife of the year” award. (I suggest she begin working on her acceptance speech – she deserves it!) Drew is playing his heart out on the lacrosse field and at every opportunity taking an extra class on line to race his way through college in record time.

         This week I was privy to a series of correspondence through text they recently had.  After the normal pleasantries, they began a walk down memory lane.

         My memories of these two (who are twenty seven months apart) would include: trips to the beach from our little cottage in a red radio flyer with wooden sides; bike rides in baby seats and then their own bikes with training wheels.  My memories include a “talker” and a “hugger.”  Those two were like fish in their grandparents pool and enjoyed library story time as much as walking to Dairy Queen and stopping in the Lutheran church park to play.

         Their memories in texts culminated with Drew’s sentiment:  “Wouldn’t it be fun to swim to the light in Meme’s pool and turn back time?”

         What’s a mom to say?  Yes! I’d turn it back.  No! I wouldn’t consider it.

Philippians 3: 14  “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me...”

         Paul wasn’t familiar with a rear view mirror.  I think a rear view mirror is a perfect counterpart to our lives.  While we are moving forward we can peek in the rear view mirror and be reminded of things from the past. I’m grateful for the opportunity to move forward and on occasion take a glance in the mirror of memories of our children as little ones and the awe of being a mom.

 CHALLENGE:  Memories often get lost. As precious as the memory; too many years, too many babies later, I can’t remember which child, which outfit or which location memories happened.  I challenge you to stop now and write or log a memory that was special to you this week.  It may seem incidental, but our children may be texting it to each other before you realize.

Birthday reflections

“I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:9-10

This past Thursday I turned 35 years old. I had a sweet time with the Lord in the morning and as He led me to this scripture, I started to think about everything He has done for me. This is my journal entry for that day.

Thank You, Jesus, for all the work You’ve done for me. Once on the cross but then all Your patience and work to get me to where I am today. All the distractions, fears, idols, hurts and effects of this fallen world that You had to plow through to get me to be free to see You and to know You!

You never gave up on me, never got discouraged, even in my seasons of sin and when I denied You. You waited, You loved and You worked as soon as I allowed You back in. You purged by allowing hardships to show me where my faith was lacking and You comforted me when I couldn’t bear it any longer.

You have redeemed my childhood pains in so many ways. Being fatherless at the age of one, You have now become my Father. Feeling abandoned during moments of hurt throughout my school years, You have become my safe place. The discovery of the joys of creating, drawing and acting that was made fun of and shut down in me as a child, You have renewed and even brought praise and honor in my accomplishments. All the broken choices I’ve made, all the ground the enemy had gained on me through the years, You have thwarted it all.

There is nothing You have not redeemed, no dark place You’ve allowed to exist, all to set me free. Everything serves You and You can make good use of anything that comes at me if I allow You in. The hardships I’ve walked through with You have served to purify me by burning away pride, self sufficiency and self righteousness and to teach me compassion and love for others. Now You’ve granted me lasting friendships and a family that protects and loves me unconditionally.

Jesus, You have done it ALL with consideration to what I’ve been through yet without allowing anything to be my excuse for not growing. You are My Redeemer and God. Thank You.

The next morning as I was enjoying the blessings of having family and godly friends in place for me here in Georgia and in such short time, God led me to this verse.

I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’
“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!   Josh.24:13-14

Giving my life to God in may, 1994 was the best decision I've ever made. It has made all birthdays since then a wealth of priceless memories as each year passes and I can see God more and more.