Sharing Memories

Today our son JonMark turns 24. Shocking but true. Jennifer and I are so proud of the man that he has become. He is a great man and a great husband. One day he will be a great father as well. 

Last night he and Autumn had us over for supper to celebrate his birthday. It was a nice evening but the highlight for me was after the meal. As the table was cleared, Jennifer returned to her crocheting and we sat back to chat and to visit. It was not long before JonMark began telling stories and asking questions. 

One after another they came. 

Stories from our past as a family. Stories that only the three of us experienced. His first bedroom in Savannah, Ohio with the trains stenciled at eye level for him. Stories of his bunkbed that Papa (my dad) made for him. We talked about how he and I moved to Wellsville, Ohio before Jennifer and Emma joined us so that he could go to kindergarten at East Liverpool Christian School. He and I did not have much to do in the evenings so the two of us played games together on my first Playstation (the very first one they ever released). Jet Moto--a Jet ski game. He loved that game. 

We talked how sick he got once and how we sat up all night with him in the hospital as we tried to move into our house in Ashland, Ohio, 

His remembered his loft bed in Wellsville that he loved and the game chair we got him for that room. The memories came fast and furious. His smile was broad and wide. Jennifer and I saw our 6 pound 6 ounce boy last night again.

We laughed and laughed. We talked about how he would always beat Emma playing Pretty, Pretty Princess (look it up on Amazon). Autumn saw the tender side of him yet again. 

I share these stories because, as you know, stories have the power to shift everything in our lives. They shift our perspective and they change our mindset. When I finish this post I will then return to my preparations for chapel with the children of our daycare. When I talk with them I always want to tell them a story because if the story is good, I know they will add something to it, and together, we will learn a lesson about God. 

So as you prepare for the weekend what story is God asking you to share with one another?

It might be an old story and it might be a familiar one. But you never know how deeply it will touch the life of someone else?