lent 25 - re-discovery

Yesterday was the start of the rather daunting job of clearing out the attic.   We moved into out current house 19 years ago and vowed we would not fill the roof with junk........ however it does now appear to be filled with junk and I have decided it's about time to have a sort out.

So up I went with a ruthless determination to get rid of anything that doesnt need to be up there.  And after a couple of hours I was feeling quite pleased with myself as I'd managed to chuck out a fair bit and sort out and organise a bit more.   Of course in the process I came across all sorts of things Id forgotten were up there.   I opened one bag and found a whole heap of bits of paper, cards, notebooks that dated to my university days.  As I started to sort through them I discovered some thank you cards signed by lots of students which were given to me after Id done some talks on creativity at Edinburgh Uni Scripture Union.   I have no real recollection of the talks - but it was really interesting reading the things people had written in response to them.  I had obviously spoken about the throne room of God as described in Revelation.  The comments and feedback in the thank-you cards were really encouraging.  I dont think it was any accident that I happened to come across these odd bits of paper just now, given that at the moment Im trying to put together some workshops about creativity and hearing God, and am wondering if there is really any mileage in doing this.   Stumbling across these messages from 25 years ago helped me to realise that maybe I do have something to say and that it is probably worth stepping out in faith and seeing what happens.

The other thing I found was a box of photographs.  It's always fun to re-visit old pictures and remember days when everyone was much younger and shinier.   There was a photograph of me and my two closest school friends sitting in the sixth form common room at school, arms round each other grinning at the camera.  Funny that I was able to pinpoint the exact place the picture was taken by the orange walls behind us.  There was a photograph of my brother when he was about ten years old.  And one of my Dad and my Stepmother laughing fit to bust.   She has been dead for over twenty years - good memories.  In another box were all the paintings the boys did when they were at nursery.   So cute. I had forgotten Id kept them.

I'm glad I have kept some of these things to help me to remember people and events and places in my past.  I'm not overly sentimental, but I do have a lousy memory so 'things' can be a helpful reminder - and the 'God things' I keep remind me of truths He has spoken which are good to recall.

I wont be throwing out these items.  They have been packed away again for me to stumble across  another day sometime in the future.  Im wondering what else I might unearth in the next few days or weeks as I work my way through the rest of the stuff in the attic. I dont think there's anything of any monetary value up there, but there are probably more treasures to be found.

And if there is a moral in today's ramblings it might be this - write down and keep the precious moments....especially the God things.  Keep the bits and pieces other people give to you - the verses in birthday cards, the letters and words.  File them away somewhere and every now and again get them out and look at them.  Because it is good to remember.