Ever been out somewhere and see something that reminds you of your childhood?

Elaine and I were in an antique store a couple weeks ago and there was a candy apple blue Schwinn bike with a banana seat, sissy bar, and chopper handlebars. I had one just like it in the 5^th grade. Memories are like that in that they can take you right back to that age. I remember riding it to school for the first time thinking, I have everything in life I want. ha

When you were young, you played with anyone, trusted everyone and there weren’t any status rankings among friends. We learned all that as we go older. I had two grandfathers, one that wanted to spend time with me and one that didn’t have the time for me. My dad’s dad always would stop and explain things to me and would let me ride on the tractor with him. He wanted to spend time with me. My dad’s mom was about five foot tall and would fuss around making sure we had our favorite meals and when she hugged you, you knew you had been hugged. My mom’s mom passed away when I was 15 but she impacted my life for God in such profound ways. I loved her dearly.

For some reason that still escapes me, in high school I moved from the great home shared with my mom and stepfather (I loved them both greatly) to live with my father and stepmother in Georgia. It was a terrible several years and I ended up leaving home during my senior year of high school. As I have gotten older, I realize that God wanted me in Georgia because he could see my future family and knew who I was supposed to marry and who my daughters, son in-laws, grandchildren were going to be. I have said this before, but we look at life decisions in terms of today where God can see 10 years out. He knew where I was supposed to be.

Hopefully your childhood memories are good, safe, fond, encouraging and up-lifting to you as an adult but I also know that many people would rather forget their childhood. Childhood memories are funny, you either want your family to be like your memories or you know you need to create new memories. That is the thing about growing up, you get to decide the person you want to be and the kind of memories you want your children and grandchildren to have. KT