To Grandmother's House We Go

“Over the river and through the woods
To Grandmother’s house we go.
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
Through white and drifting snow...ooo”

I’ve always loved that old song by Lydia Maria Child. Surely it conjures up sweet memories of doing just that, but without the snow, regrettably…and the horse…and the sleigh. You get my drift. The excitement of going home for the holidays, whether it is Thanksgiving or Christmas or both, quickens the pulse.

As the LORD led me to His 23rd Psalm this morning, I prayed my way through it slowly, personalizing every word, every phrase. When I came to the 6th and last verse that promises, “and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” I saw that at some point in time I had penciled in the margin: “I’m on my way to Your House”.

During this holiday season, my desire is that you would read that dear and precious psalm as if He wrote it just for you…and I think He did. Rejoice in that Jehovah Rohi, The LORD my Shepherd; your Shepherd would pen such a love note to us. Ponder it, pray it, personalize it and as the Shepherd Himself anoints your head with His sweet oil, claim the promise that, “Surely, goodness and mercy will follow you (through the rush, the cooking, the shopping, the decorating, the tables set before you, laden with the feasts the Lord prepares, knowing every minute that you’re headed for the evermore dwelling place of our Shepherd Savior.

I’m on my way to Your House, Lord.

MEMORY LANE

When does traveling down ‘memory lane’ lead you to the wrong road and possibly get you stuck in the mud?

We’ve been cleaning out the garage…again. It seems never ending. Boxes of old pictures, scrapbooks (literally so old they are scraps), children’s pictures, greeting cards and on and on it goes. It takes me forever to look through the cards, ooh and Ahh over the pictures and tear up at the love letters and giggle at the Junior High School puppy love notes folded in that special way. Yes, I am a pack rat but refuse to be a hoarder, so no interventions necessary, even though Dennis might disagree.

I found love letters from my husband when he was at football camp, coaching. Yes, he can write those also.

There’s the picture of David with the bulletin dating back to August 8, 1976, when he responded to “Jesus is Tenderly Calling” and made a public profession of faith at First Baptist Church, Woodruff, SC. Todd’s funny (and serious) Mother’s Day cards and red heart with white lace and an “I love you” inside Valentine. Caleb’s first birthday, Jacob’s 3rd, Luke’s first, Catie, Boaz, Becca, Briana and Eliyah all precious memories. Pictures of the oldest friends, still in touch, always bring smiles. I CANNOT THROW THOSE AWAY!

The problem lies in how much to throw away and how much to hold onto. Which memories lead to paths better not traveled or even into the ditch? “Momma, who is that boy you’re dancing with?” Todd asked if his Dad minded me having pictures of other guys from the past. I’ve even found myself dreaming about some of these people and places. Not in a bad way, mind you. We both had lives before we met in 1967.

So, how do we keep from getting stuck in the mud? Obvious answer: Scripture speaks a lot about remembering; it also speaks about moving on. Isaiah 46:9 tells us to “Remember the former things, those of long ago”. Memorials were set up so that we would not forget how the LORD intervened in situations a number of times in the Old Testament Passages. Check out your Bible concordance for the word, remembering.
The Apostle Paul tells us: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” (Phil 3:13) I could list many more Scripture passages. Truthfully, I don’t mind throwing away a lot of the things I’ve saved, but I guess my children will just have to bear up under getting rid of the rest. Sorry, kids!

I remember the good, throw away the not so good and praise God for his infinite mercy in my life…right after I finish going through this box of saved poems and prose. I’ll ‘strain ahead’ to what’s next on the schedule “pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”(Phil 3:14 NIV)

Truths from "Tweens"

Saturday, my eleven year old grandson and I rode through Chick-fill-A drive through. Half way around I saw the car wash sponsored by/for Wounded Warriors Project. “Ahh, I wish I’d waited to get the car washed and let them wash it. I’ve wanted to donate to their purpose.”

Boaz asked, “What is Wounded Warriors?” I explained to him about the military that have been wounded coming home with major expenses and even more major challenges.
“I could just give them some money instead of having them wash my car.” I saw one of the groups with their bucket headed in our direction. From beside came the wisdom of youth, “Well, Nana, it’s not how much you give …but how much you keep.”
So, I immediately proceeded to dig deeper into my purse and donated to a very worthy cause. My car had already been washed but now my conscience got the wax job. Thank you, Boaz