"Sometime Memory"

Sometimes there is a memory,

Whose details are not clear,

But one that makes us feel good,

And so we hold it dear.

I’ve heard old men and women,

Try to share the tale,

He begins to tell it,

But knows he’s doomed to fail.

‘Cause every other sentence,

His wife pipes in, she’ll say,

No, dear, you remember,

It happened just this way.

And he’ll accept correction,

‘Cause he’s been trained to do,

Whatever she has said to him,

And swear, ‘fore God, it’s true.

After three interruptions,

Or maybe make it four,

He’ll say, why don’t you tell it,

And this opens the door,

To a more detailed telling,

Of that old memory,

That to neither one of them,

Is clear as it should be.

But doesn’t really matter,

I doubt it, really do,

That’s because the story,

Was told and that’s the clue.

It was something that happened,

Whenever it comes back,

It’s just a little better,

Than when it was a fact.

The retelling makes it sweeter,

And more fondly recalled,

‘Cause yesterday can help us,

Deal with life’s deadfalls.

And the more road I travel,

The better that I was,

They were just my good old days,

And that’s the truth because,

It’s not about the details,

Lost in someone’s mind,

The gist of what has happened,

is not too hard to find.

Lord, thank You for the stories,

That help us as we go,

And give us every memory,

We need Your love to show.

“Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!” (Ps. 107:2, NLT)

The redeemed of the Lord are called to speak out. Ours is a verbal faith. It has always been. God creates by speaking. We are co-creators with Him and describe verbally what He has done in our lives. This testimony becomes a creative word which engenders faith in those who hear it. Not every time, but some of the time. When they’re ready, our testimony can become the very thing God uses to touch their hearts and change their lives. There is nothing more important or powerful that we can say. Do not fall for the nonsensical advice that we do not need to speak our faith but only live it. This is not a biblical view. No doubt we are called to walk the walk, but that is so it will verify what we are saying, not exclude it. And when you stop to think about it, the reason you know the Lord is because someone told you. Faith comes by hearing. Tell the story. Even if you can’t remember all the details, it needs to be said.

Lord, help us speak up, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Gayle Bone, gbone.artspan.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Gayle, and God bless you.