Weekly Word for April 1 thru 8th, 2005

Weekly Word - April 1, 2005

And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me” . . .
(1 Corinthians 11: 24)

In Remembrance . . . Most of us throughout our lives, have “memories” - memories of loved ones, memories of special times or events, memories of hurts and losses. Memories that bring back to us - moments in time . . .

To this day, when I smell burnt toast, I remember Norma. That smell can bring me right back to a time and place - - - to sitting in a diner - laughing with my friend . . .

We had gone to our “special” place - the diner around the corner from Caring Families. We would go there whenever we could find the time. It had great coffee - and they knew us and what we wanted. So on this day, the place was full. We stood waiting for a table in the doorway, talking and laughing the whole time. Finally, a group finished their meal - and a table was ready for us. As we sat down, the waitress came over. She looked a little sheepish - like she didn’t want to tell us what she seemed to have to say! As she poured our coffees (she already knew what we wanted!) - she looked right at Norma. “The cook says to tell you, he won’t burn your toast any more” she said. “He doesn’t want the customers to think he burns the food”. As the girl said it, I watched as Norma got up - and headed straight for the kitchen. When Norma came back - she just looked at me and grinned. It wasn’t too long afterwards - that I smelled it - burnt toast! We laughed and laughed as the waitress brought our breakfast! It is a remembrance of a time and a place - of laughter and friendship - that I hope I never lose . . .

In the same way, He took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
(1 Corinthians 11: 25)

A few years ago, I worked as a “Home-health Worker”. I worked through the local hospital, helping the elderly and disabled to stay in their homes. One of my clients was an older woman who I will call “Mary”. I saw Mary every week. As I would walk into her home, she would ask me who I was - and why was I there. Mary suffered from Alzheimer’s. So Mary had an aide come to her home three times a day - just to make sure that she remembered to eat, remembered to turn off the stove, remembered the things she needed to do - to stay in her home. Each time I went to her house, I would re-introduce myself, telling her that I was there to clean and help her. She would ask me questions about my life - the same questions over and over again. And then, she would tell me stories of her own life. She could remember that she had 9 children - - - and two of them were girls. She could even remember their names. Although I did find out from her daughter - that she didn’t remember where each lived recently - or that one of her sons had died.

Each week, as I visited with Mary, was like a brand new meeting for her - as she asked again - “who are you?“ Even so - I grew to like her - and care about her. She was sweet and caring - loving her children and her husband. Even though I heard the same stories each week - I didn’t mind it. She told me about the house that she and her husband moved in to - where they had their bakery - and raised their children. She told me each week - that she was married to a baker - and all about her children. She also would tell me about her sister - the one who was a nun. I would worry about Mary - and her ability to stay in her home. There were days when I got there - that the stove was turned all the way up - and I feared for her safety. But somehow, Mary kept on living there - little by little losing her every day memories - and yet remembering days gone by.

Then one day, I asked her how she fell in love with her husband. As she looked at me, her eyes became bright - and full of love. She told of a young girl - one of 11 children living in her parent’s home. She told of her father being a butcher - and using a horse drawn wagon to bring meat to the housewives in town. And then she told of her church. She would walk to church each Sunday - passing by the local bakery. As she walked by - a young man came out - just to smile and say “hello”. As Mary told the story, I asked her if she immediately liked him. “No” she told me. He was a bother and she told him to go away. I laughed as she continued to tell me about being a young girl - being wooed by this handsome young man. “It was Easter” she told me. And she had just walked home from church with her sisters. Inside her house, she found a box on the kitchen table. Inside it - was a cake. “It was beautiful, and it had my name written on the top” she said. As I watched her face - I could see that young girl - smiling and falling in love.

Mary died a few months ago. She had slowly slipped away from her children and family - as the disease took it’s toll on her life and memories. Little by little, Mary had disappeared. And then I wondered, about the reunion in Heaven, of the young girl, who had fallen in love, with the boy who had baked her a cake . . .

Behold, I tell you a mystery; . . . We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, (1 Corinthians 15: 51 & 52)

This past week, I found myself working on a “Memory Book”. It is a book that my brothers and I plan to give our parents on their 50th wedding anniversary. In the book, I put pictures and letters - stories of times gone by. Both my parents are now facing serious illnesses - in this - their later years of life. But the pictures show times of being young - falling in love - and having children. When I look at the book - I wonder what they will remember - what “moments” in time will be left as their legacy . . .

And as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly . . .
(1 Corinthians 15: 48 & 49)

Two weeks before Norma died, I found myself helping her to go outside - helping her to sit on the ground and “feel” the grass. As she ran her hand over the grass, I watched - and felt her making a “memory”, an imprint of the grass beneath her hand. It seemed like she wanted to “remember” that moment - and take it with her - when she left this earth. It is a “memory” that I took with me, as well . . .

But we shall be changed, in a moment . . . For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(1 Corinthians 15: 51 & 53)

There is a new song that both Ted and I heard the other day. The song is “Making Memories of Us” by Keith Urban. The song tells the story of loving another - and wanting to know everything - about that person. It tells of Making Memories that will last - forever. The song reminded us both of our own love and marriage. For us, there have been so many special “moments” - times that felt like gifts from the Lord. There were fireworks over Niagara Falls in winter, special dinners by candlelight, times when the love we felt for each other - was more than we could ever have imagined - - - it is a love that has changed my life forever - - - a love - that will never die . . . .

for love is from God; and every one who loves is born of God and knows God.
(1 John 4: 7)

This past week, we celebrated Easter. A time of "re-birth" and "new life". It is the completion of God's Love for each of us. It is my hope and prayer, that during this very special time- you will allow God into your heart - and into your life! When you do, The "moments" of love - the handprints of God in your life - will change - eternity . . .

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen - are eternal.
(2 Corinthians 4: 18)

God bless you in the coming week ahead!

In His Love,
Debbie & Ted Ayers