Building Memories by Judy Dudich

I LOVE the Waltons. I LOVE Little House on the Prairie. I LOVE reading things by Charlotte Mason.

Why am I so drawn to these types of books, shows, etc...?

It’s the common thread of finding joy and contentment in the ordinary. It’s the idea that there IS no ordinary life. That ALL life is

sacred and worth living and that fulfillment comes through a simple and humble faith in God and day to day family living.

Today's world can be so fast-paced...so "things" oriented... luxuries, money, prestige...the hustle and bustle to acquire...

Unfortunately, if we are not careful, we can fall into this lifestyle...and worse yet, pass it on to our children.

From time to time, it is good to pause and ask yourself, "What sorts of memories are we building with our children?"

My dear son, age 13, came rushing to me last summer, BEAMING with JOY, as he led me to the barn (which houses equipment, not animals...except two dogs)...to show me how he had gained the trust of a FROG and was able to feed this creature from his own hand!!! It's TRUE! He had painstakingly sat, observed, and approached this little guy for days and days until he was able to feed him earwigs from a small twig held between his forefinger and thumb!!!

It was AMAZING to behold! And, when I tried it, well, as you might have guessed, that little critter hopped off as fast as fast can be!

These are the memories I want for my children so that one day, years from now, that same boy might be a dad, who sits his own small son upon his knee, and says, "Have I ever told you about the summer that I trained a frog to eat out of my hand?"

I want my children to cherish times of sitting on the porch listening to crickets in the evening...of playing tag and jumping in leaves...of picnics in the woods, and contests of rock-skipping in the creek or nearby lake. Mud pies, fairy houses, forts, bike races, campfires, card games, cooking and reading together....singing together, praying together...THESE are the kinds of memories we are building.

Every family is different. The Lord calls each family to a unique and special life.

So one family's memories might not be for another...but the point is:

BUILD MEMORIES THAT CAN BE CHERISHED!

Take the time to let your children "BE"...to learn a skill, to tell each other jokes, to play hide and seek...

If all we create are memories of video games, i-pods, television, and RUSHING to and fro to the next meeting, event, service, or practice...then we must ask ourselves whether or not we are offering our kids the opportunity to build WORTHWHILE memories.

Children are so adaptable and very content by nature. If we give them space and time they will embrace God's gifts of imagination, intellect, curiosity, and senses.They will dream, invent, build, perform, wonder, question, read, pray...

However, as parents, we must ALLOW them the opportunity...and we must JOIN with them in taking time to build some worthwhile memories.

If life is too fast and too cluttered then these opportunities will slip through our fingers.

Pause today and ask yourself, "What sorts of memories are we building?"


Copyright 2010 Judy Dudich