Building Memories

I have been reminded in recent days of the importance of memories--and our deliberate intentions to build good ones. Our son, Nick, now a junior at Ouachita Baptist Univesity, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, is home for the summer. Because he is our youngest, we are fully aware that his days at home at limited. So we are making the most of our time with him--in simple and fun ways. Already this summer, we've walked through Scheels several times and shopped among the vast assortment of fishing and hunting supplies--even picked up a new rod and reel for the boy. And he has become rather proficient in the art of bait casting! Then a few days ago, we did something different. I pulled out my flyrod, unused for some time now, and stood in our front yard and introduced Nick to the intricacies of fly casting. I suppose to our neighbors we looked a bit fooish, but it was a grand and simple time. At some point in the next few days, we will take our new learning to the water. That should be fun. After the fly casting lesson, Nick asked if we could play pitch. It took a while to find baseball gloves and to get a ball but soon we were back where we had been a few years ago, father and son tossing a ball back and forth, displaying technique and intrigue, laughing at our mishaps, inventing situations (bases loaded, bottom of the 9th, one run lead, two out and the count is three balls and two strikes--and the pressure is on), and totally enjoying our romp down memory lane. We have spent a lifetime building memories. I am glad we have them.

In the last two nights, I witnessed more memory building in our Vacation Bible School. What a joy to watch children having such a good time at church! Vivid images came to my mind of wonderful experiences in church during my childood. In fact, I think the earliest memory of my life was in church. I recall as a little guy, maybe a year of two old, resting on a pallet at my mother's feet and looking up at her lovely face as she sang the hymns of faith. A warm sensation still goes through me as I recall it.

Such memories as our children are experiencing this week in VBS and my experience in worship at Boughton Baptist Church are the stuff of which great living is made. When vital faith in God is blended with deep relationships with others, and all in an atmosphere of caring love, along with laughter, we are living out what Jesus called "abundant life."

Building memories is an important matter. For in them we discover resources for great living.

Talk later. LM