When you pack up a houseful of belongings, you run across lots of keepsakes.
All sorts of things can be a reminder of the person who gave it to me: photos, cards, books, a rattlesnake rattle.
That last one is a new addition to my keepsake collection.
Gary and I visited a couple from church on Wednesday. They live out by the river, and I reminded him that he was going to show me a live rattlesnake sometime. We had joked about it when we first came to live here, but it had never happened, even though snakes would show up out there quite often.
Judy showed me a picture of a nice-sized rattlesnake (someone had taken the picture while her husband went to get his gun).
Then Bruce dumped a little jar of rattlesnake tails onto the table. We marveled over them, and then he urged me to take one. “Really?” He pointed out a good one and I thanked him as I made it rattle.
On the way back to town, I held my rattle carefully and gleefully shook it every once in a while. “This is so cool!” I kept saying to Gary (he agreed, but I think he had enough after about the first mile).
I thought it was incredibly generous that our friend would give away part of his own rattle collection (he gave one to Gary, too).
Seeing that rattle in the years ahead will always remind me of Bruce and our good times on the Missouri River (thankfully, we never did see a rattlesnake while we were boating).
As I’ve come across other keepsakes recently, I’ve felt grateful for the reminders of friends and relatives.
Physical objects can be nice to display (or store away to look at later), but we don’t always have something tangible to help us remember someone. Maybe we just have special memories of a relative or friend. As we get older, those may start to fade, so consider doing something to make sure you preserve that keepsake.
Write a letter to that person, telling them about your recollections. Keep a copy for yourself so you can look back on it later.
Draw a picture of something that reminds you of a special person. Write their name somewhere in the picture (or on the back) so you never forget.
Take a picture when you see something that reminds you of a friend. Send a copy to them on your phone and say “I saw this and thought of you!” You’ll feel good, and so will your friend.
I’m glad God has given us so many friends. I’ll cherish the keepsakes and memories I’ve collected over the years, and I’ll give God the glory as I accumulate even more. I wonder what other trinkets he has in store for me? I’m guessing not many will beat a rattlesnake tail!
“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.” (Psalm 77:11 NIV)
Do you like to collect keepsakes? How can focusing on God help you to find creative ways to remember friends and thank God for them?
Having been diagnosed with a terminal illness has made me learn to cherish those memories. I need to do a better job of sharing those memories with the people. Thanks for your blog. Wishing you the best I by our move. I look forward to having you and Gary pastor our church.
I missed this back in December, Dawn! Sorry about that (and thanks for commenting). It was so good to visit with you and your family. I’ll be praying for you as you deal with your health concerns. Hope you keep collecting precious memories (and keepsakes) to treasure in the years ahead. ~Robyn