Most of the time, memories are fun
You draw from the well of good living
And enjoy the past as a cool, fresh drink of water.
Yet, there are times…I’m just saying.
When those memories find the light of day
That is not pleasing to recall
I toss them aside, begone! And they are.
Now, let’s search for something good.
Sometimes it’s good to compare.
A good memory next to a bad one.
But if you’re mind so takes you
You’ll dwell on one and not the other.
Like, I don’t remember it being too hot
In my youngest days of the past
Where, in that sticky state of my present recall
We slept without conditioned air.
But I do remember the cold weather.
Snow. Ice. And the joy of flavor
When you taste that first bowl of snow
And whatever came out of the jar!
Compared. Contrasted? Maybe.
But those two memories are real.
Here, let me try it again.
Just one more time.
I remember carrot salad. Yuck!
Raisins are ruined sitting next to shredded orange
There’s no amount of sweetness you can add
That makes that concoction taste any way but bad.
Oh, but give me bread pudding
The kind my grandma used to make
A 9-inch square Pyrex… All Mine!
Hot. Sweet. Delicious. But no raisins or sauce.
I woke with my mind locked into memories
As I sit with coffee and cereal at hand.
Black. Hot. Steaming.
Next to cold and crunchy and tasty.
Now. Open my Word.
Let God’s fingers do the walking.
Two important scriptures. My testimony.
Oh, I love the good memories.
These should be shared at my Memorial Service.
Whenever the Lord deems it time.
But you will need to search to find it.
The meaning of this testimony that’s mine.
Here’s a Hint, or even find one of them here.
For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.
~Psalms 30:5 NKJV
I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
~Psalms 37:25 NKJV
Finally, brethren,
whatever things are true,
whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report,
if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy
—meditate [think] on these things.
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me,
these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
~Philippians 4:8-9 NKJV