I reconnected with cousins this week. Another cousin and I traveled an hour and a half to visit these cousins we had not seen in decades. We often visited each other as children, but life happens, we grow up, have families of our own and, in my case, move away for 50 years!
They were happy to see us and we, them. I discovered we immediately began talking about the past and asking and sharing about each other’s families. We had to start with the past in order to move to the present. What memories we had! I learned that one cousin was afraid of the cows whenever they came to visit my family on the farm. Another cousin was afraid of the chickens! I had not remembered those fears. I did remember playing house with the cousin who had a very nice cupboard in which to keep her very nice play dishes. Her dolls were fed from fancy dishes, mine endured metal plates. The dolls are long since gone. I doubt they cared anyway. She told me the cupboard had been destroyed.
We remembered family members who have gone on to their reward and shared pictures, both old and recent. We had lunch together and decided we must do this again. I hope we can.
I sometimes chide myself for living too much in the past. It’s easy to do that when you’re missing loved ones no longer with you. But then, I remember that even Jesus told us to remember the past. When He celebrated the Passover with His disciples for the last time, He instituted a new remembrance celebration. Passover was for the Jewish people to remember their miraculous escape from slavery in Egypt. The new celebration is what we call the Lord’s Supper or Communion. Partaking of communion helps us remember the cross and the sacrifice Jesus made for our salvation. It is also a time to look forward to the culmination of our salvation when Jesus comes again to take His people, the Church, to be with Him forever. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:26, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
Do you have a friend or a relative with whom you need to renew a relationship? More important than that, do you need to renew your relationship with the Lord Jesus? Jesus wants to be a part of every aspect of your life.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).
Thanks for this insightful (again) post.
I had been thinking that covid had created some additional solitude-time that often generated a trip into the past. So much to thank the Creator for…good times and then learning times.
And He’s always been there and will always be there. Awesome.
Blessings to you and your family!