Remember When . . .
After twenty years, the project has finally been completed. My mom just added the last pages to my baby book! I have thumbed through some of its pages before it was done, but I have never seen all of it. Just the other night, my mom and I sat on my bed and looked at each page together. We read cards that my grandparents had written to me when I was just a baby. We looked at old pictures taken at VBS - the kind that popped right out of the camera after you took the picture, and then you had to wave the picture in the air while you waited for it to develop. We laughed hysterically at stories I had written and pictures I had drawn when I was in preschool. Before we were even half way done, we realized that we had been pouring over that baby book for an hour.
Each picture, drawing, card, and letter reminded me of something from my childhood. My grandmother's card reminded me of going to her house and smelling the aroma of chocolate cake when I walked through the door. The pictures I drew reminded me of events that I had forgotten, like watching fireworks on the lake for the 4th of July, "shooting the rapids" on the Buffalo River with my family, and playing basketball at the park with my mom. I loved looking at my class picture from the first grade and comparing the cute little faces to all the grown-up ones I know now. Every page caused me to ooh and aah as I "remembered when..."
It amazed me how much I had forgotten from my childhood, but it also amazed me how quickly I could remember. I may have not thought about kindergarten for years, but all it took was a funny drawing of a chicken to remind me of story time, grandparents' day, singing songs, and field trips. Just a simple letter from my grandmother reminded me of her character and personality, even though she has been away from this earth and with the Lord for many years. I recalled family pasttimes and elementary school friendships that may have faded from my memory, but are etched on my heart.
I am so thankful to my mom for keeping all these treasures and preserving them. Looking at my baby book challenged me to hold onto cards, letters, pictures, and records that will be valuable and special to me in the future. It also challenged me to remember. I want to remember the big events of my life, but also the small things that make each day special - like Mom taking me to the pool or buying me pretzels at the mall. Those memories remind me of who I am how and how I am loved.
Most of all, I want to remember what Christ has done for me throughout my life, for that is what really reminds me of who I am how I am loved. As long as I remember who He is and what He has done for me, every day is "life to the full". (John 10:10)
Each picture, drawing, card, and letter reminded me of something from my childhood. My grandmother's card reminded me of going to her house and smelling the aroma of chocolate cake when I walked through the door. The pictures I drew reminded me of events that I had forgotten, like watching fireworks on the lake for the 4th of July, "shooting the rapids" on the Buffalo River with my family, and playing basketball at the park with my mom. I loved looking at my class picture from the first grade and comparing the cute little faces to all the grown-up ones I know now. Every page caused me to ooh and aah as I "remembered when..."
It amazed me how much I had forgotten from my childhood, but it also amazed me how quickly I could remember. I may have not thought about kindergarten for years, but all it took was a funny drawing of a chicken to remind me of story time, grandparents' day, singing songs, and field trips. Just a simple letter from my grandmother reminded me of her character and personality, even though she has been away from this earth and with the Lord for many years. I recalled family pasttimes and elementary school friendships that may have faded from my memory, but are etched on my heart.
I am so thankful to my mom for keeping all these treasures and preserving them. Looking at my baby book challenged me to hold onto cards, letters, pictures, and records that will be valuable and special to me in the future. It also challenged me to remember. I want to remember the big events of my life, but also the small things that make each day special - like Mom taking me to the pool or buying me pretzels at the mall. Those memories remind me of who I am how and how I am loved.
Most of all, I want to remember what Christ has done for me throughout my life, for that is what really reminds me of who I am how I am loved. As long as I remember who He is and what He has done for me, every day is "life to the full". (John 10:10)
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