If Your Furniture Could Talk . . . What Would It Say?

My china closet has a colorful past. We inherited it from Bill’s great-uncle who worked as a chauffeur for a wealthy Atlantic City woman. As the story goes, Uncle John sweet-talked his way into her heart, wooed her and won her, married her and inherited her wealth.

That china closet now holds a set of azalea dinnerware, which Bill’s Aunt Freida set out on special occasions and spoke of how precious the set was to her. Now it’s precious to us.

Such precious memories make me ponder what memories I’m making for my children and grand-children. Will they someday look at a piece of our furniture or a knick-knack and lovingly remember something about us?

I hope they look at a cardinal figurine and remember our love of nature. Walks through the woods with guidebooks in hand, identifying birds and wildflowers. Spotting deer that ran through our yard as we held our breath that they’d safely cross the highway without smashing into a car. Talks about God’s wonders as we walked and talked at hunting camp or at the seashore.

I hope they look at a piece of our dinnerware and remember family times around our table. Dinners for birthdays and holidays when we welcomed extended family including Uncle John and Aunt Freida, who became Grandma Freida to our boys. After dinner devotional times when our sons fought over who would light the candle.

I hope they see a Bible and remember I read it regularly. I hope it motivates them to read it as well. And to live by its principles.

I hope they look at a book and think of the bookshelf by my easy chair and of the inspirational books I always gave them for Christmas. They’d smile as they fingered a rectangular package and say “I wonder what this may be.” They knew. They may not have appreciated the books at the time, but I hope they read them anyway and grew closer to Christ through them.

Precious memories. As the song goes: “In the stillness, of the midnight, precious sacred scenes unfold.”

As I look back, I’m amazed at how quickly time passes. We only get one chance to parent our children and influence our grandchildren. As slowly as time passes when you’re waiting up for a teenager after curfew, those days pass quickly and the years roll on by.

So I ask: What memories are you making with your family and friends? After you’re gone, what will they remember about you? Your stiletto heels? Your colorful mask? Your witty remarks? Your faith? Your discipline? Your faithfulness to God?

Consider the past and plan for the future. Then pray for opportunities to scatter good memories as you walk with others down the pathway of life this Christmas season.

The photo shows our china closet topped with memorabilia from our 50^th wedding anniversary, which we celebrated at a resort with our family in August 2011. I won’t forget our special dinner, the day the gals took me on a ski lift and the tour we took of Falling Water. Precious memories, for sure.