Memories

My wife and I are experiencing another round of "first memories" even though we have been married for over 30 years. We are enjoying the birth of our first grandson, Jehoiakim Andrew Sherer. We are already building a new catalog of experiences, his first bath by grandma, his first burp for grandpa, his first smile for mommy, and his first diaper change by daddy. Memories are the event s of life that you rehearse time and time again. Good memories are the highlights you add to a normal life.

Since it is imperative in the marriage that we create good memories and relive them occasionally I thought I would offer a tad bit of advice about memories:

1. Memories happen: Life goes on unnoticed around us. We live in such a hectic pace that we often forget the simple things that cause us to smile. Take note of the glimmers of God's grace as he offers a meaningful touch to an otherwise normal life.
2. Memories are made: Memories are those events in life that are planned. One boring evening before Christmas, my wife and I asked our daughter and her husband if they would like to take a drive to a nearby city and see the Christmas lights. We traveled on a curvy road anticipating the bright lights of Victorian houses wishes us a Merry Christmas but instead the town was dead. Street after street we drove from home to home knowing that the next turn would bring us to a well lit exhibit of peace and joy. Drab was the finding. Homes that were lit - were minimal and weak - to say the least. We decided it was time to eat and maybe, our luck would be better, We turned into a small cafe, Grandma's Beans and Cornbread. The small cafe was decorated with traditional red and white table clothes and a little old lady (Grandma?) had come to take our order. Of course, beans and cornbread was ordered. I don't know if we were that hungry but we laughed and enjoyed the southern delicatessen. Now we had a memory with the help of Grandma's Beans and Cornbread and one worth repeating.
3. Memories are lifesavers: Just get one or two family members together and start out by asking, "remember when..." and before you know it someone will crack a rib laughing as the family memories are brought to the forefront again.
4. Memories are romantic: remember the first kiss, the first hug well...you get the idea.
5. Memories are worth cherishing: Don't give up for temporal pleasure what you have taken a lifetime to build. Open up the treasure chest of memories, look at the family picture book, or draw some precious memories from the dark recesses of your mind and the present will be overwhelmed with the moments of the past.

Take some time today to create a special memory in your home.