“Emma’s Entrees” -2- "Good Old Memories!"

"Emma's Entrees"    

-2-     

"Good Old Memories!"  

   

    As many of you know, grandchildren provide a wealth of blessed experience and enjoyment.  Over the years, I've written a number of essays about our grandson Jackson's interesting perspective on life ("The Jackson Chronicles").  I haven't penned as many about our granddaughter Emma (age 8), but that will change in the years to come.  She possesses  her own fascinating take on things, and her imagination transports her to places with characters and happenings that she's more than happy to share with interested listeners. So here's the second of "Emma's Entrees".

    Our grandchildren spent the day with us this past Monday, a holiday in our area.  This resulted in a visit to the playground of a local school where Emma and Jackson have long enjoyed to swing, climb on monkey bars, play basketball, and even hit a few golf balls.  Our dear family friend Sheldon joined us for the visit, and as always, we had a great time together.  As usual, Emma asked Granddaddy to push her while swinging, and I was more than happy to oblige.  After a nice session of flying back and forth through the air, as aided by grandfatherly propulsion, Emma happily commented, "You know, I love this place!  It brings back so many good old memories!"

    I immediately texted Emma's comment to our entire family, all of whom had the the same smiling, not at all surprised response.  She may be only 8 years old, but Emma is already a treasure chest of "good old memories".  It's who she is, and it's how she looks at life, people, and experiences.  I know of no one who more possesses the proverbial "twinkle in the eye".  She's a joy to be with, as is Jackson, and yes, I know, they're my grandchildren!  But I'm pretty objective about such things! :)

    Upon arriving home, Emma spent time with Grannie Frannie, playing on our bed as Frances read.  "Grannie Frannie", asked Emma, "Will you and Granddaddy ever move from this house?"  She offered the question quite seriously.  "Well, Emma," responded Frances, "we might, but we also might stay here until we are 100 years old!"  The latter prospect clearly appealed to Emma's desires.  "I sure hope so!" she responded enthusiastically.  "Because this is such a wonderful house, and I have such good memories here!"

   All of this has resulted in my pondering the "good memories" that characterize our walk with the Lord as believers.  Much of the Christian life involves remembering, even as the Psalmist declared, "I will remember the works of the Lord!  Surely I will remember Thy wonders of old!" (Psalm 77:11).  We seek to live our lives in gratitude, that is, in the appreciative recognition of our Lord's already accomplished doings on our behalf.  Such thanksgiving creates an atmosphere of loving devotion in our hearts, even as A.W. Tozer suggested that "thanksgiving is the sweetener of the soul".  Gratitude for gifts given helps strengthen us for faith and faithfulness in the present, and also elicits confident expectation of God's loving future involvement in our lives.  Moreover, one of the two ordinance observed by Christians, the Lord's supper, calls us to the breathtakingly simple observance of recollection: "This do, in remembrance of Me" (I Corinthians 11:24).  Indeed, the better we remember, the more we rejoice.  The more we rejoice, the more we recognize our Lord's present working in our lives.  Such recognition results in the realization of glory to come: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:6).

   "Good old memories."  Emma has them, obviously in an abundance of grateful recollections of love, family, events, stories, fun, and quite a bit of consideration of the Lord and life.  I am so glad she feels this way, and she and Jackson surely provide the same for us.  Again, the Psalmist's "Surely I will remember Thy wonders of old!" calls us to realize the vital place of remembrance in our walk with the Lord.  Thank you, Emma, for the reminder, and thank You, Lord, for the wonders of old that enable us to see the wonders of now, and to expect the wonders of tomorrow.

"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD."

(Lamentations 3:21-26).

Weekly Memory Verse 

   Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

(Colossians 2:8)