My siblings and I went through a huge box of family pictures last night. It is sad to look back at how everyone has changed, how some are no longer here with us and how fast time has gone by, but at the same time it is so sweet to look back to see the blessings you sometimes couldn't see at the time, and to see how far The Lord has brought us since some of those pictures were taken. It was especially fascinating to look at photos of great grandparents, great-great grandparents and even distant cousins, aunts and uncles and see physical features in them that carry on through us today! It is such a blessing to have those generations of family photos.
I woke up this morning thinking about how those pictures represent a moment in time. Some of our family photos were from the 1800s where having a picture taken at all was a big deal, and I thought about how they wouldn't have imagined me sitting here today, all these years in the future, looking at them in that photo and taking a picture of their photo with my phone! I loved studying their faces, bodies and hands, looking for a glimpse of me, my brothers and sister, and even my own children in them all these generations later.
Of course, we also found many pictures of ourselves as babies and children. My mom had the typical 70s era hairstyles and clothing, and our home decor completed the look. My grandparents, who I thought were ancient at the time, were only in their late 30s! We were celebrating the Christmases, birthdays and family occasions that we didn't even know at the time would remain so special in our hearts. Some of the photos were just regular old days, sitting on Dad's lap or watching Mom cook breakfast as she turned toward the camera with a spatula in her hand, posed like she is going to get Dad for taking an early morning picture of her without her makeup!
Those old pictures tell our story as a family. Looking back at our family photos takes our minds back to an entire era of time, to the core of who we are today. They take us back to a simpler life, a time before we knew what hurts and disappointments lie ahead, and a time before the ones we love were taken from us. They take us back before harsh words were spoken that we can't forget, and before decisions were made that can't be reversed.
Literally, each snapshot is only a split-second of our lives captured on film. Those moments in time were so much more important than we could have ever known at the time. They were the moments we will long to return to the rest of our lives, the moments we took for granted that are so valuable now. They are the moments that will describe to our future generations who we were, where we came from and how we lived.
Photos don't freeze time, as some describe. They freeze what life looked like that exact moment, but time moves on as soon as the flash disappears. Choose your words carefully. Love while you can. Embrace those differences in each other..they come from a long line of plans for who each of us are supposed to be. Spend time together while you have those you love, because that next moment just after the picture is snapped could look entirely different, as it will inevitably be one day. And don't forget to take pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.
Proverbs 17:6 (NIV)
Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
Psalm 127:3
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
