Memories

During our recent move(s) that finally brought us to the sunshine state of Florida, packing everything up from our original home of over 30 years, was overwhelming.  I couldn’t believe how many boxes it took, with quite a few of those containing photo albums and scrapbooks that I had put together over the years.  I used to love collecting memorabilia from all our trips that I could include in my scrapbooks of memories.  Many times, on a cold wintery day, my husband and I would pull out the books and photographs to relive our journey together, including places we visited and memories with friends and family.  The laughter, and sometimes tears, we shared of recalling those memories allowed us to appreciate our amazing journey.  I encouraged you, during a recent blog on the word “Gaze,” to spend some time gazing around your place of worship or witnessing God’s creation and appreciate the many sacred ways that helps to “stir our souls.”   I received some beautiful replies that brought back memories of what it means for us to gaze upon our Lord, which I will share.  However, it made me think that we are surrounded by memories when we worship (whether out in nature or walking through the doors of a church), which I would describe as a scrapbook of Jesus’ journey while He was here on earth.  I am grateful that we are blessed with all these reminders that help us on our journey of faith.  Everything we witness, as I sit and gaze around our church, are constant (and needed) reminders that keep me focused on Jesus and His story of the ultimate sacrifice on the Cross.  One of my fellow believers shared a memory that, “I always feel God’s love all around me when I gaze at the beauty of nature, like when I see a red cardinal perched on top of my pine tree like a Christmas topper.  I feel His gaze on me!”  Another friend shared, “When I quietly contemplate Jesus gazing at me, I want so badly to be able to gaze back – to see His face, the face of a loving Father.” And when you sometimes forget those sacrifices, all you need to do is spend some quiet time, as one fellow parishioner so beautifully described, in our amazing Adoration Chapel.  “I wish more people would grasp how fortunate we are to be able to sit with our Lord, knowing that He knows everything that is in your heart,” he states. Memories, whether good, joyful, scary, or sad, all make up our own unique journey of faith and make us the strong men and women of faith we attempt to be every day.  God bless! 

You can always email me at crossesinthesky@gmail.com if you would like to share your journey of faith.

“And he took bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you; do this in memory of me.’”  Luke 22:19