Pondering The Good Ol' Days

Do you sometimes get "homesick", and find yourself going through old photo albums, in an attempt to recapture some of your favorite childhood memories? Well, occasionally, I do just that... and when I do, I'm usually caught somewhere between being teary-eyed, and laughing until my insides hurt. But it's a good kind of pain... this reminiscing into the past. It brings to mind all those silly (and often embarrassing) moments, growing up.

I've done alot of "revisiting" lately to my old home church, back home in Spartanburg. My super-sweet eternal friend, Stephanie, has caught me up on the folks I spent much of my childhood with... my teachers, my girl friends, my one and only "crush" (who shall forever remain nameless). It's been great to hear how everyone's doing, what they've all been up to for the past 25 years or so. My, how time flies!

I've also been thinking alot about Mama, and of my little brother ("Buck") and me, as we were growing up. It amazes me to think of how little we had back then; yet, at the same time, how MUCH we had! Truly, things were a lot different in those days, before the world became so.... well, "worldly"!

It didn't cost a thing, other than some sacrificial time and energy, for us to do "family outings" together. I recall how we spent many a rainy afternoons on the front porch, playing a "match-the-number " game (home-made cards cut from empty cereal or tea boxes). Mama wouldn't dare let us have a deck of cards in the house, so that's how we played card games! That's a far contrast to the many gambling establishments and casino boats/hotels that are popping up all over the place now... not to mention the LOTTERY our state now sponsors!

Mama somehow got to be a DSS worker (AKA "the neighborhood babysitter"), despite her age and ill-health. All the kids would gather at our house, so it was expected that she'd have plenty of Kool-Aid on hand... and in return, she'd share a Bible Story with them, and we'd always invite them to church with us on Sunday. We didn't have to have a special occasion like "Friend Day" or a free meal to rustle up some friends to take to church with us. They came simply because we asked... anytime! (Oh, to have that again!)

I remember, too, how Mama also carried the title of "Family Doctor". Whenever we were sick or hurting, no matter what ailed us, she was always "on call", praying for us, first of all... then doctoring us up with much love, and whatever medicine we had, if needed. She seemed to always know just what to do to make it all better. (Nowadays, parents are so quick to rush their children to the doctor's office, where they end up paying a fortune, only to receive an antibiotic that doesn't work any longer, because their child's system has grown immune to it, due to taking so much of it.) If only parents would lay hands on their children and pray for them today, as Mama did for us back then! (I bet the crime rate would decrease tremendously, as a result, as well!)

I used to think we had it so hard, growing up. We didn't have nearly the things (or rather, the "material things") that other kids had. We were raised by our Grandmother, so there again, I felt (at the time) we were missing out on the "normal" parent/child relationship. Was there anything we had, of any value??

Of course, in the years since, I've come to understand what truly mattered most... and that we, indeed, DID possess it. We had a loving, mature, GODLY woman bring us up in the nuture and admonition of the Lord! She taught us about Jesus, raised us in church, taught us right from wrong. Granted, we didn't always do what she instructed us to do. And many of the things she warned us against... unfortunately, sometimes we didn't steer clear from them. But she did her part in providing what meant the most... and that was in paving our walk with the Lord.

This past Sunday being Mother's Day, I've had her on my mind so much more this week. Though it's been over 10 years now, I still miss her terribly sometimes. But I cherish the thought of her being with Jesus now, and if I know her, she's probably looking after my little ones up there in Heaven. What a sweet thought!

I look around, and see the disrespect, disobedience, out-right defiant attitudes and behavior of kids today... especially those who seem to "have everything". It seems it's the children who are ruling the parents, anymore. And it makes me wish I'd appreciated what I had back then, because even though it may have seemed that I was poor... I was richly blessed in many ways. I thank God for granting me this priviledge of being raised by my Godly grandmother. I don't know where I'd be today, had it not been for her prayers and loving care for me back then.

Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, I've been looking through some old photographs lately. I wanted to share a few of them with you. The expressions and hairstyles are hilarious, but they bring back some of my absolute favorite childhood memories... times when things were simple, before the burdens of modern life today. Enjoy!

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