Fathers, open your mouths and utter things of old...things you have heard and know, things your forefathers have told us. Do not hide them from your children. Tell them to the next generation. Tell them of the praiseworthy deeds God has done. Tell of His great power and the great wonders He has done. Teach these things to your children and your grandchildren, so that the next generation will turn and tell their children and their children's children of the love of God. Then they will put their trust in God and never forget His deeds and commands. And why should you do this? So your children will not be like their forefathers who turned from God.
Ps. 78:1-8 paraphrased
This scripture has been very heavy on my heart. This year, my mother-in-law will celebrate her 95th birthday. As she approaches this milestone I think about what she has left us in memories and also how many stories have not been shared.
Years ago, I put together a scrapbook for my mother-in-law and saw the impact of time in one person's life. Her life stretches from the beginning of automobiles to the cyber world we all have embraced. Her relatives served in WWII, and her family survived the Great Depression. She is now has the title of great-grandmother to three great-granddaughters. God's faithful hand on her life could fill a book, as it should all of us.
The scripture commands us to re-tell God's faithfulness to us and past generations, but it takes people telling the stories for them to be handed down.
My children probably get tired of hearing me re-tell our stories. I will text them memories as they come to mind, even words that were spoken over them through the years. I will recall how they felt about things in the past...mostly to remind them who they are and God's hand on their lives.
Pictures allow us to document our memories, but we also need to document the stories through some form of written or recorded means.
When a child is doubting a decision, I can remind them what their dreams were as a child and they can recall their passions. Confidence is built as they move forward.
Recalling the past also gives us courage for the future. God's faithfulness to us should be mentioned often. How easy it is to look only at the present circumstances. God knew the importance of re-telling of his faithfulness to all generations, or he wouldn't have written it as a command.
This year, I started this blog to leave a paper trail for my children and future generations. I have also been scanning pictures from my years of collection...so I can re-tell the stories.
My children may not be very interested in these stories at this time...they all live in the present mindset, but time will bring about a desire to know their past. When they have children, they will want to say...."hey, this is what happened to me, here is where I met God."
