Next time you use cash, find the oldest coin in your change and think of what was going on in your life then. It’s more fun with other people, and you can all share stories. If the year predates everyone’s birth, then pick something you think was eventful from that year and share why. Aside from just being a nice “parlor game”, this activity counters our all-too-ephemeral thinking and helps us take a longer view of our lives.
Remembering and reflecting help us see connections between moments in our lives. Events that looked one way at the time often look different in hindsight. My heart was heavy when I left Montana, and the long drive east gave me plenty of time to think about all I was leaving behind. Now, I still miss the home of my youth, but I also think of the wonderful people (and the jerks) who have shaped my life since then, and the places and experiences – both difficult and pleasant – that form the lens through which I see the love of God at work.
Such remembering is built into the Bible story. Events like Passover (Exodus 12) and crossing the Jordan River (Joshua 4) have memorials, either a ritual reenactment or a marker. Future generations are expected to ask what the memorial means, and older folks must explain. Any time Paul tells something about his life story, it’s always an opportunity for him to remember God’s amazing mercy.
So, the next time you take a coin, look at the year and remember what was going on in your life then; I hope the memory is also an opportunity for you and others to celebrate what God has done in your life.
Dr. Carl Grosse is an ordained pastor and the author of Faith Along the Way, a weekly reflection for KnoxTNToday that encourages readers to discover God’s presence in everyday life and share His love with others.
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