Many years ago on a Saturday morning I was up in the attic changing air filters in the heating & air units. Yes, I know that you expected that I live the glamorous life on Saturdays, spending my time engaging in intellectual conversations with world-renowned scholars at local bookstores. Alas, more often than not, my Saturdays are not particularly glamorous, unless you count running into church members at the Waffle House as exotic. Anyway, while up in the attic I brought down a shoebox full of old 8mm reels. They dated from the mid 60s to the 70s. Amy salvaged these tapes from her mother’s house and had remained undisturbed in the attic. Not having an 8mm projector to enjoy its hidden contents, I took it upon myself to have many of them converted to DVD and surprised Amy with it on her birthday.

 

Watching those old clips of Amy’s early childhood was like traveling back in time. We saw many of her family members who have since passed away. She was reminded of favorite dresses, special vacations, and cherished Christmas presents. We both took delight in viewing scenes of the great snowfall of 1973 (remember that one?). By the way, Amy has not changed a bit; still has that great mischievous smile. It made me wish that we had old home movies of my childhood. I would give anything to see my G.I. Joes, or my grandfather, or my old room.

 

There are a few things, however, that I would like to forget. That terrible crew cut, for example, that all boys were wearing when I was in the first grade is a scene I would like to cut out. I am also glad that there was no one with a camera when I was left alone with my summer preschool class for the first time. I wanted to cry; I really did, but somehow managed through the half day program. There are some pretty dorky photos of me floating around from my high school prom days. Thank goodness there are no 8mm canisters of that in somebody’s attic for future exploitation.

 

The great thing about home movies is that you can edit out the scenes you don’t like. Of course the same cannot be said of life. We cannot pick and choose our highlights; we just have to live it out. And everyday has its moments of embarrassment and pride, victories and despair. Thank God for grace and memories. May God bless us with an abundance of both.

 

Grace and peace,

 

Greg

 

God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart…(Ecclesiastes 3:11)