Memories Made Today Will Define Who We Are Tomorrow

A life well-spent is a good investment and will bear fruit for a long time.

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise." Proverbs 11:29

I've got a box in my attic of all the drawings my boys made while they were in school. Some are drawings of clouds. Some are superheroes. Some are pictures of footballs or baseballs. Some are self-portraits of our family and some, well some, I'm just not really sure what they are, but my boys drew them so I'm keeping them.

I ran across the box the other day while searching for a computer cord. And I spent an hour trying to figure when and which one drew the pictures. Some were easily identifiable. They would have the boys name scribbled in their young handwriting on the bottom of the page. But some weren't signed, so I had to try to remember what the circumstances were which lead them to draw the picture.

"Was this when my middle son was playing football?" I'd ask myself. Then I would think back to when he played football and I was his coach. And, I'd smile and go on to the next.

"Was this when my oldest son was obsessed with the weather?" And then I'd think of how he used to see tornadoes in a summer rain shower.

And, I'd smile and go on to the next.

"Was this when my youngest son did the research project in science class?" And then I'd think of how he got an award in front of the whole school for the work he did.

And, I'd smile and go on to the next. Sometimes the most important things in our lives are the ones that are worthless to other people. To someone else, that box of papers is nothing but a trip to the recycling bin. But to me, it's so much more.

We want to keep and show others the things that are important to us. I'm not talking about showing off like we would a new car or new phone. That's something entirely different. I'm talking about something that moved us so much that we can't wait to share the feelings of love with anyone we see. If we can't share the item, we can at least share the memory.

Because that's what makes us who we are. The memories we form with those important to us. Sure I can tell you all day long about this picture my kid drew when he was six years old. Or I can tell you about the Christmas tree we all cut down on our property. How mommie bundled them up so much they walked like robots and fretted about how cold they would get. How they ran from one tree to the next, excited that this could be the one. How when we finally found it and two of them worked the handsaw until they were so tired they plopped down in the snow and couldn't go on anymore. How the youngest thought it was a sleigh ride as we dragged it back home. How I had to cut the top off to get it to fit in the living room and how we all sat around the fireplace drinking apple cider.

Or I could show you a picture with a Christmas tree and five stick figures next to a fireplace. The memories we make today will define who we are tomorrow. And they need to be shared with each other. Because that's how we see God at work. Today, find something that's important to you and then take a moment to thank God for the person who made it important. And then find someone to share the story with. It may make all the world of difference.

Let us pray.

Our gracious God. Every day we are reminded of how you work in our lives. By the family memories that make us who we are to the times we make a difference in others lives. Today we pray that the seeds of memories we sow today will become the fruit of the righteous tomorrow. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

The blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

PASTOR TROY CONRAD IS MINISTER OF FARMINGTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. EMAIL: [email protected].