Reflects on Today, Tomorrow and Days Gone By (The Good Ole Days)

When you were a child, did you ever ride in the bed of a pickup truck feeling the air moving past your whipping your hair into your face and taking your breath away? Did you ever ride standing up on the back floorboard of the car holding onto the seat in front of you?

Occasionally, I wonder what my kids would think if I broke away from all the safety precautions we observe today. When my family went to Hot Springs a couple of weekends ago, we put the kids in the back of Honey's (my mom) minivan. It didn't have any seats in it, so they were sitting on the floor as we drove through the park from our cabin to Honey's travel trailer. There was another time we through caution to the wind and held our hands up as we went down a hill....to which my melancholy niece said, "This is not safe!" (She probably wouldn't have appreciated "red-neck snow skiing" either -- see prior log for details.)

My son looks forward to when we get home being able to unbuckle, so he can stand in the floorboard of the car and ride down the driveway. Sometimes, I even dare to have the sunroof back and allow him to pop up through the roof to feel the air on his face. Erin also enjoys the short-lived thrill.

There are a lot of people that get caught up in the way things use to be. Some refer to them as "the good ole days." Some refuse, baulk even resist change when the truth is "the good ole days" can never be duplicated. They can be imitated, but not duplicated. It's fun to give our children a taste of days gone by, but the truth of the matter is today is their "good ole days."

Do we want to be part of the current generation? Do we want to instill our fun memories by telling stories of our past that they will appreciate, learn something from or even find humor in today? Or do we want to be staunch and rigid refusing to enjoy their "good ole days" with them? How will they remember us in their storytelling later in life? How will they describe our outlook on life?

I dance with my kids. I dance with them at home, in public, in a store, or anywhere they hear a beat...even if it is the one in their own heads. We crank up the music in the car especially if it is Mandisa or Nicole C. Mullins. I want their "good ole days" to be their's because truth be known, these are my "good ole days" with them. I want their memories to be as sweet and as fun as mine are to me.

That also goes for church. There isn't just one way to have church. Some get upset when we don't sing hymns, and some get upset when we sing hymns but don't sing all of the verses. Truth is most of the choruses and praise and worship music that is being sung by our kids is based more on scripture than the blessed hymns. My kids know more verses due to the songs they learn in praise and worship than I ever did singing hymns...that is powerful and awesome. When Pearce was three I heard him singing, "I Am a Friend of God," and it melted my heart.

Don't get me wrong, I love hymns, and I sing them around my home so my kids will hear them, but if they get more out of praise and worship by singing choruses based on scripture, then I am all over that. I will be right there with them worshipping and praising God during their "good ole days."

So, I encourage you to bust a move with your kids and grandkids. I encourage you to let go, look at your kids in the face when they talk to you, hear what they are saying. Sometimes I miss out on how funny Erin truly can be. Sometimes I miss out on the cute facial expressions Pearce uses. All because I'm too busy or because I'm just not thinking.

Cherish your own memories while living today in the days that will be your own children and grandchildren's memories some day.