Everyday we are in the process of making memories and hopefully most of them are memorable. How do we make memories?
- By storytelling – this allows us to relive the moment and think about the emotions that went along with the memory. Ever sat there telling your intended “in law” stories about what their fiancee did as a small child? Or heard stories in a eulogy about the loved one just departed? Written a journal of happenings on a trip or just life in general so you can remember? Whilst in hospital one time the patient in the other bed had been involved in an accident and had been unconscious for over 3 months. Every day her mother would visit and read from her journal of a trip she had had overseas so she might remember it when she regained consciousness. I learned a lot at that time about her travels also I cherish the memory of a loving mother reading to her daughter.
- Through looking at photographs and videos of events. These capture the moments and we can re‐live them as we either view the video of look through our albums. Sometimes there is written journaling in the albums or commentary on the video that helps us remember.
This year for Mothers Day at church are using the reading of 2 Timothy where Paul writes about the faith of Lois and Eunice and how they passed it on to Timothy by the example that they had lived and been to him.
As I looked at it in preparation for our service, I suddenly saw the Bible in a new light. It is a collection of journals, prepared for us to relive the happenings in people’s lives to learn, cherish and reminisce over, and realize anew our heritage in Christ. What example will we pass on to our families?
We must cherish the moments we have now. We cannot get back a moment wasted, or a hash word said. We live in the Now but we can look back and remember the past, and things said and done in the heat of the moment cannot be taken back but can be etched in memories forever. We need to be mindful of how and what we say to one another always.
When looking at Mother’s Day is can be quite painful. The memories can be happy but can be bittersweet— Relinquishing mothers, grandparents separated from their grandchildren due to marriage breakup, mothers of stillborn children, women who have never married and/or women have never been a mother, those with communication breakdown between themselves and their mother. Consequently for them it is painful and lonely.
We not only have memories to cherish but memories to pass on. 2Timothy 1:8 calls us to tell and live out our story regarding what Christ has done for us. Remember the only Bible some people will read is us, so our life needs to be lived with that in mind.
RRT
Page 2 of WISELink May 2009
