My mom collected pictures in boxes, lots of boxes. My dad collected slide photos from a 35mm camera. We traveled a lot and had lots of pictures from all those places we visited. Then we uploaded pictures from our digital cameras onto our computers. Some of the pictures on our computers have been lost forever as the results of crashes. Those were heartbreaking moments. Today our photos are stored on phones, computers, iPads, tablets, and the iCloud, but most of us have lost the sense of celebrating the memories from our photos.
I can remember when we only had black and white film, and our pictures were not snapshots but formal settings. Don’t move, don’t smile. Do you have any of those stored someplace in your home? Color film and snapshots made our pictures more fun, for sure. We keep pictures to preserve the memories, but do we celebrate the moments as we once did? Do we gather around a screen to watch family movies or slides? My answers to these questions is sadly, “no,”
The Bible tells us that in times past Israel had (and still has) festivals to remind them how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, how He made a way for them through the Red Sea and the Jordan River, how He provided for them in the wilderness, how He brought streams of water out of a rock, how He led them into the Promised Land and gave them a bountiful harvest. In the United States we celebrate annual holidays: Independence Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Patriot’s Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas – to remember the blessings and sacrifices that have contributed to make our country great.
THINK ABOUT IT
It is important for us to make a special effort to reflect on what God has done for us personally. Take the pictures, sort them and add captions to them so others will know what they are and when they were taken. Take time to celebrate the special moments in our lives, not just birthdays and anniversaries, but unique times in our service to God. A good example is when my husband comes home from a deployment with our church disaster relief team – how people turned their hearts toward God.
PRAY ABOUT IT
O Lord, our God, help us to make more of the moments in our lives when you have blessed us. Help us to celebrate you and all you do to give us abundant life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Tell Me the Story 