Mason Jars

I wish I had some long, oak shelves of mason jars in my bedroom. You know what I'd fill them with? Memories, tastes, smells, dreams. And when I felt discouraged or disheartened, I'd unscrew a jar's lid ever so slowly and taste a summer watermelon, listen to a classmate's laugh, feel once again the outpouring of love shown on my last birthday, relive a valentine date night with my dad. Remember. I know memories can rarely be contained, but if they could be captured in simple containers, mason jars would be scattered around my room, near my bed, on top of my windowsill, lined up on the floor. Here's some of the things that would quietly and joyously be slipped within glass jars . . .

Times when I've laughed so hard with my sister that I've struggled to breathe, watching my classmates in school as they laugh and joke and live, being surprised on birthdays, the sleepover with my friends from church and the showering of prayer that was poured over me there, watching Left Behind 3 with my cousins and jumping when the car exploded (even though we knew it was coming), times when my family and I played Dutch Blitz together, my church's Christmas pageant and the unity that it brought, tying together a wounded church and wounded people, going to a Music Festival in Washington and hearing hundreds of kids (me included) lifting up voices to praise the One who sings over us, Yahweh, the precious moment on this past year's Good Friday when I was at a church service, broken and torn and feeling so unworthy and dirty and yet I felt a very real impression of Jesus, the impression of proven love on a wooden cross. Of course, these are only a tiny speck of hundreds of memories that I'd try to capture if I could. Maybe I'll share some more in future posts. For now, I'll just remember them. I'll capture them in words and phrases and try to remember, to relive in my childlike mind.

Anyway, have a beautiful day today! Remember that life isn't always about the big things, the big money, the big status, the big experiences, . . . sometimes, it's all about the little things. It's about the memories inlaid in our dusty journey. May you make more beautiful memories today as you walk hand in hand with the Maker of the Stars.

Yours truly,
Simply Danae