Tell the Story

"We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders that He has done...that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments."

Psalm 78:4,6-7

Once my oldest daughter had a great idea.  She asked my mother, who was in her early 90s at the time, if she would be willing to answer questions about her life and allow my daughter to record it.  She wanted to put together a sort of memory book for the grandkids and great-grandkids.  My mother had had a hard life, growing up as a very poor farmer's daughter, a  bad marriage, and other difficult years.  Her reply?  "I've lived my life once and don't want to live it again."  She refused to talk to my daughter about her life.  Consequently, the grandchildren know little about their heritage on my side of the family.  In fact, I know little about my heritage.  As I get older, it saddens me. All of my father's family is gone now, and my mother's as well.  

The memories died with them.

I do not want the same scenario for our grandchildren.  One of their favorite things to do is "spend the night" (4 of them live with us!  They just come upstairs to sleep) and ask us to tell them stories about our life, the era when we were growing up, what we did, where we went, funny things that happened.  To be honest, sometimes I get tired of telling stories, but do you know what? 

We are building memories in those kids.

But more importantly, it is imperative that we tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord.  We have an entire Bible in which to garner stories and lessons for them.  If God is our Savior we have our own wonderful testimonies of His grace and mercy and salvation in our lives.  We also have the "not to do" stories that will help the children to grow in wisdom.  They can learn from us, the older generation, truths that will help them to live daily as Christ would have them to.  It would be a shame for my children and grandchildren to have missed out on the glorious things God has done in my life, or warned them about sin that lurks about and so freely attaches itself if we are unaware.

My mother was a wonderful, beautiful and godly woman, but she could not resurface her past, and we missed out on both knowing her and being warned of some of the things that might ensnare us.  I don't fault her for this.  I don't think everything should be told.  But I so desire that my children and grandchildren will "set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments." (v.7)  

Story time, anyone?

Telling the stories,

Gloria