R is for “Rememberer”

This post is part of Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday meme.  Click the Alphabe-Thursday button on the right to read more and to join the party.

Typical conversation in my house:

Hubby:  “Honey, don’t make plans for Friday evening because I need to make a bunch of sample boards for next week.”

Me:  “That’s nice, dear, but we have already signed up to go to the adult holiday party at the church building.”

Hubby:  “When did we do that?”

Me:  “Two weeks ago.”

Hubby:  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Me:  “You were standing right next to me while I signed the list.  You even told me to bring a dessert.”

If this is a typical and frequent occurrence between you and your spouse as well as you and your children, then you are the designated “rememberer” in your household.  I don’t know how it happens.  Hubby seems to be getting worse at remembering as the years go by.  Maybe he gets so used to me doing the remembering for him, that his remember brain cells are beginning to atrophy.

People need something to help them remember things.  Since I’m getting ready to hit one of those milestone birthdays that are celebrated with a multitude of black balloons, it takes several calendars, Outlook reminders, lists on the refrigerator, and assorted sticky notes here and there to keep me on track. 

Another typical conversation in my house:

Hubby (yelling): “Honey, we need to add mayo to the grocery list.”

Me (loudly because ladies don't yell): “Check the list on the frig.  I think it’s already there.”

Hubby (yelling):  “Where are my glasses?  I can’t read anything without my glasses.”

Me (from the stairwell): “I don’t know.  You must be able to find at least one of the 5 pairs floating around.”

Hubby (yelling):  “I don’t see any downstairs.”

Me (at the bottom of the stairs and saying with a sigh):  “Sweetheart, you have a pair hanging on the front of your shirt.”

Hubby:  “Oh. Yeah.  OK.” 

Hubby (reading the list):  “Looks like mayo is already on the list…twice.”

Me (looking over his shoulder): “Mmmmhuh.  And in your handwriting, too.”

I wish there was a way to make the “remembering-challenged” read the calendars, lists, and assorted sticky notes.

Now it is time to get a little more serious.

We have several memorials to help us remember significant events in our country’s history.  While driving through Oklahoma in the summer of 2005, I stopped at one of The United States of America’s more moving memorials.

I walked through a massive, shiny grey gate with 9:01 engraved on it.  In front of me was a long, rectangular reflecting pool that reached to another massive, shiny grey gate with 9:03 engraved on it. 

To the left of me were nine rows of empty bronze and stone chairs sitting on glass bases.  To the right of me was a terraced lawn that went up to a 90-year old American elm appropriately named The Survivor Tree.   

Standing there my mind flashed back to April 19, 1995 and the horror and deep sorrow I felt watching the TV coverage of the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building and the image of a firefighter carrying the body of a small child pulled from the rubble.  I had tears in my eyes even though the event occurred almost 10 years previously.

God also gives us things to help us remember what He has done for us.  We all know of the rainbow to remind us that He will never again destroy the earth by flood, but the most important reminder God gives us is a memorial.  It is a remembrance set up by Christ during his last few hours here on earth.  The early Christians met on the first day of every week to partake of this memorial.  We call it the Lord’s Supper (or Communion) and it is a time for us to remember the sacrifice He made for us.

Even though I’m the family “rememberer”, I still sometimes have a short attention span when it comes to the important things.  I’m glad Jesus gave me this memorial to partake of every Sunday.  It helps me remember the horror of His suffering, my gratefulness for His grace, my sorrow over the sins I have committed, the joy of His forgiveness and the determination to walk worthy of His calling.

Sometimes (but not often enough) there are tears in my eyes when I observe this memorial… even though the event occurred over 2000 years ago.

 

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”  1 Corinthians 11:26 [NKJV]