Looking Back At Good 'Ole Days Clouds A Future Of Hope

Troy Conrad
Troy Conrad

What we do in life echoes in eternity.

"But store up for yourself treasures in heaven...." Matthew 6:19

I had lunch with some friends not too long ago. All of them were around the time of World War II and inevitably the conversation turned to the "good ol' days."

"In the good ol' days we could by a gallon of gas for a quarter and a pop for a nickel," one said proudly.

"In the good ol' days we never locked our front doors and left our windows open at night," another chimed in.

"In the good ol' days everyone went to church and the offering plate never went empty," another sagely chimed in.

In the good ol' days.

In the good ol' days, it seems like it never rained. The sun always shined and the clouds were only for finding shapes of dogs and cows.

In the good ol' days everyone had wonderful memories because no one was a stranger. They all knew each other's names.

In the good ol' days everything was cheap and it was all American made.

In the good ol' days.

I think that the good ol' days are created by people with poor memories and good imaginations.

I remember my own good ol' days. Back when life was carefree. When we played sandlot baseball with the neighbors. When you only had one choice when it came to transmissions. When music was played on records and politicians were role models.

I remember the good ol' days fondly. But it's because I've blocked out the bad stuff. I've forgotten about the jungle wars. About the political unrest and student demonstrations. I've conveniently left out the political scandals and the threat of thermonuclear war that hung over our heads. I may have chosen not to remember that even though gas was cheap, my truck only got eight miles to the gallon. It may have slipped my mind about the long lines of people waiting for government cheese. And I've blotted out the suggestive lyrics that pushed society's boundaries for what was the music of my good ol' days.

We live too much in the good ol' days. We remember the blessings of yesterday and don't believe they will be any better tomorrow. But God has a different view. God is timeless and eternal. The blessings of yesterday are the same as the blessings of tomorrow. God doesn't love us any less and God doesn't bless us any less.

The blessings we have today are just as great, if not more so, than the ones we had in the past. Except they have one advantage. The blessings of tomorrow are what we all hope. And in our lives, hope is a powerful thing. Hope gets us up in the mornings. Hope lets us do things we never imagined. Hope helps us lay the groundwork for a better tomorrow.

Someday my kids will be sitting around talking about today as the good ol' days. And when they do, I pray they remember them as a time of hope.

Let us pray.

God of power and might. We sometimes forget that the blessings of tomorrow are just as great as the ones of yesterday. We thank you that throughout all time you remain the same loving and caring God for all generations and the hope for the generations to come. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

The blessings of Our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you.

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

Religion on 08/10/2016