Memorial Day & Memories

I was feeling very nostalgic this afternoon. I began to tell my children stories of when I was a little girl. I sometimes forget that our family members aren't as easily accessible as when I was a child, growing up next to my great grandmother, or my grandmother...usually at least in the same town as someone "grand." It seems now that we're spread far and wide. We try to make the best of the times that we are together. We've established some traditions, but it's not exactly the same. That's ok, too. My children are sure to have fabulous memories. But, some days I miss it.

So, today we sat out on the front porch swing and I told them who I was named after. Amanda Virginia & Elsie Ruth. Wow, they thought that was very cool! Then, I reminisced of days that seemed like yesterday, now so long ago. Time flies by so very quickly!

We talked of candy dishes, games in the yard, providing cricket lunches for big banana spiders, wash tubs, fried chicken, strawberry cake, Sunday paper comics, bottles of pop, orange slice candies, a room full of dolls, back yard swings, walks to the pond......memories.

I know that when the time comes, our children will be able to pass along their own memories to their children. As a mom, I know that I have to work hard at establishing them now. We enjoyed sitting and looking at a few scrapbooks from baby and toddlerhood (back when I actually had time to scrapbook.) Some events were planned, some spontaneous.

I just want to encourage all of you other moms out there to keep making memories for your children. When you're weary with the burden of the day, dancing across the living room floor and singing at the top of your lungs with your kiddos will go down in the record books.

Even more importantly would be the legacy of faith that we pass on to the next generation. I love the quote from Noel Piper in "Treasuring God In Our Traditions" (an excellent read, by the way!)

For the rest of our lives, with God's help, we will keep on making God's Word our own, making it more and more the beat of our heart and the breath of our soul.

Every new day is a day for God to conform our hearts to beat with His in our traditions and lives as we depend on Him. Isn't God amazing? May your Memorial Day weekend be a time for you to treasure the memories that you have, and think on new memories that you can make as you seek to Honor Him....