Encouragement Along the Way - My show (?) and TELL

Encouragement Along the Way

Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 34:3

Aug. 24, 2007

My show (?) and TELL

Posted in Tags

Today is Show and Tell over at Canadagirl's. I love seeing what everyone shares, and since most share about their grandma's stuff I am always blessed by them, because some day I hope I created a treasured memory.

Today I have a TELL and not a show. Fifteen years ago this morning sitting around a TV in a home of someone we never met I heard these words "Homestead does not Exist!" Comprehending those words is not something you can do when you know that you left your home in Homestead less than 24 hours ago. How can my home not exist? And what does that mean to my belongings?

The doll my Granddaddy brought me home from Jamaica when I was 10 years old? The cedar treasure chest Michae had given me that firs date?The afghan my grandmother had made just before she died with the last scraps of yarn? The Rosary, Maria , my Italian neighbor that knew I loved Jesus so much; she had given it to me in Italy .The Rosary she had had as a child blessed by Pope John XXIII to her it was like adopting me, where is it? The golden pearl we were given from Hawaii that we were planning on putting in a ring for Heatherlee's 18th birthday? The love letters Mike had written be from Basic Training? And the baby clothes that I made Mike haul from Base to Base because someday I would have grandbabies and they would need them!

How can they not exist? The memory… that is the gift, the recipes I remember, the fragrances of donuts frying, filling creme puffs, Cabbage rolls my grandma made and Nana's baked Hams and lima beans and noodle goop! Hurricane Andrew could not steal what my heart contained.

Sometimes we take too much stock in the item instead of the memory. I have a china tea cup, my mom gave it to me. My dad had bought these gold rimmed dishes when I was young. at auction. We used them on holidays. I always felt very grown up when I had tea in these cups. It sits on my cup rack in the kitchen, but it does not gather dust. You see I have a five year old granddaughter that one day asked me if when she was grown up if it could be hers. It is hers NOW. When we have tea, it is the cup she uses. You see, I held on to a pearl that never became a ring. I will not hold on to a cup that might someday break.

One last thing, My Heavenly Father knew I could let go of everything and once I had (and enjoyed the freedom that came with that) He blessed me as only He could. Our photo albums were in the closet sitting on top of the Air conditioner that had blown across the room and was embedded in the bathroom wall. They had been in the wall unit which was completely destroyed, as we left the house, I had moved them to Matthew's bedroom closet. And three years later, I received a box in the mail. Heatherlee was pregnant with our first granddaughter. It seems someone have found a box and took it to the Air Force Base. They tracked us down and in the box were a few of Heatherlee's and Matthew's baby clothes.

2 Cor. 9:8 Moreover, God has the power to provide you with every gracious gift in abundance, so that always in every way you will have all you need yourselves and be able to provide abundantly for every good cause -

• Post A Comment! • Send to a Friend!

Comments

Aug. 24, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by jenn4him

I have a smile on my face after reading about that box someone found and mailed to you. God is good.
Jenn