Its summertime, a time for water fights, s’mores, children’s laughter after dark, and… frustration?

 

When my children were young, I sometimes experienced what I called bad mom days. No I don’t mean I was a bad mom, I mean as a mom, I was having a bad day. You know the kind of day I mean. I mean the kind of day when it seems all you say is “no”, and all you do is discipline.

 

I clearly remember The Lord speaking to my heart during one of those days. He said, “What you do today will be their memories tomorrow.” It changed the way I looked at difficult days.

 

I still had bad mom days, but when I did, I tried to find some way to redeem it, even if it meant simply reading an extra bedtime story. And yet, I wondered what my children would remember when their tomorrows became today.

 

*****

 

Fast forward several years. The phone rings. When I answer it, I hear the distinct sound of a long distance connection and, “Mom?”

 

My then twenty year old son is calling from Germany, where he is serving in the army. He’s in a melancholy mood, and he’s missing us, missing home, missing me. As we talk, he reminisces about making snow angels, and playing fox and geese in the snow with his sister and me. He remembers our walks in the meadow to pick wild flowers in the spring. Over huge lumps in our throats, we express our love, and end our too short conversation.

 

For the next couple of days I think about that conversation, and about the lesson I learned from the Lord all those years ago. I thank Him for teaching me that the sum of my life will in fact be a reflection of my todays.

 

*****                 Proverbs 10:7  The memory of the righteous is blessed…

 

Fast forward again. I now have four grandchildren. One of our grandsons lives close by, and I am watching him grow into a fine young man of whom I am so proud. Since we live in Washington State and our other three grandchildren live in Alabama, I watch their lives from a distance. There have been a few summers, however, when they have come home to spend several weeks with us.

When they are home we play. I have responsibilities, yes. But we still play. We don’t have the means to go on expensive outings or buy lots of stuff, but we have marvelous memories. We make s’mores, catch frogs, squeal at snakes, have water fights, drive to Grand Coulee Dam for the free light show, and sometimes we watch America’s Got Talent. And we laugh. We give each other manicures and pedicures and we play restaurant. We watch for the white tail doe and her fawn (or fawns) to cross the front yard every morning.  We have bible studies, tea parties, we talk, and we laugh. We harvest the lavender, hang it to dry in bundles all over the house, loving the smell. And we laugh.

When they go home we cry. We cry because we know it will be at least a year before we get to see each other again.  I cry also because I know the time will come, in the blink of an eye, when they no longer can, or want, to come home to Jammy’s house for extended visits. They will have their own lives, as it should be, and they will apologize and send their love.

I am blessed. Although our homes are far apart, our hearts remain close. I have led each of them in prayer as they made the Lord their own.  They call me frequently. They call if they have questions of faith, they call if they have prayer requests, and they call just because they love me. I am indeed, very blessed. I still wish they lived closer, so I could share in the day to day of their lives.  However, I have no doubt that someday, when my four precious grandbabes look back upon their childhood, they will remember Jammy. They may not remember stuff I bought them, or expensive trips, but they will remember me.  And as long as I am on this earth, I will continue to cultivate tomorrow’s memories for us.

Yes, its summertime, a time for water fights, s’mores, children’s laughter after dark, and… making memories.

© Sharon E. Coleman 2013

 

 Tomorrow’s Memories

 The sum of my life will be a reflection of my todays.  Click to Tweet

 What you do today will be tomorrow’s memories.  Click to Tweet