I recently took my older two girls on a trip to my hometown in Ohio. We drove by the little neighborhood where I lived and up and down the streets where I used to ride my bike. Honestly, the neighborhood had gone down just a tad. There was one point where I’m pretty sure I heard “In the Ghetto” playing in the background and I strongly suggested that everyone roll up their windows and lock their doors. The local community center was still standing as well as the dilapidated trailer that serves as the post office.

We drove by the homes of old childhood friends and the girls at least feigned interest in my stories. We saw both of the homes where my grandparents lived and, then, visited the cemetery to put flowers on their graves. One of my favorite stops, however, was when we pulled into the parking lot of my childhood church. I still remember the rows of metal folding chairs where we had Sunday School. I can picture the sanctuary where I first realized that I needed a Savior.

I walked down the aisle and sat on the front row as the pastor (Reverend, as we called him) led me in a prayer. Oh, I know, some question or even mock the whole “repeat this prayer” thing. For me, however, it was real and sincere and life changing. A lot of life has happened between that moment and now and, sometimes, it’s important to go back. To go back to that place and remember because, well, we forget. We begin to question what was real and what really matters.

We need to remember where we came from…

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. – Deuteronomy 5:15

We need to remember what God has done…

Remember the wondrous works that he has done… – 1 Chronicles 16:12

When God’s people crossed over the Jordan river, God told Joshua to have each tribe pick up a stone as a reminder of what God had done. He parted the waters, y’all! Yet, he knew they would forget. Trials would come and times would get hard and they would forget what their God was capable of doing on their behalf. But, with the stone, they could go back in their minds to that time and remember. Sometimes, life gets complicated and too many voices clamor for attention and you need to go back and remember.

It was a good trip. Even when my daughter declared that my aunt made the best bowl of cereal because she “even put milk in it!”

Mercy, I don’t even want to know what kinds of things these kids tell people. 🙂

Happy Hump Day, everyone!