Word of Encouragement

We moved and the packing and most of the unpacking is completed.  One of the good things about unpacking is the new appreciation you get for those things that spur memories from years ago.  When Brenda and I were first married, as a celebration of my graduation from Princeton Seminary, we went to Europe to visit my family and travel.  I took Brenda to many of the places I visited as a high school kid and we went to a few new places.  As a young man, my mom and dad would often visit the downtown market in Frankfurt Germany close to where we lived.  I loved that place.  It was filled with so many worthless things and so many treasures.  Brenda and I went there and we have a painting of the square to commemorate the memory.  I really like the painting and we hung it up in our new home in a place where I can see it every day.  I see the people and the old stone church and colorful umbrellas, the fruits and vegetables of the market.  God has given us a tremendous gift in our ability to remember things.  Good memories help our minds to dwell on what is good.  The deliberate discipline of remembering good things impacts our today.  A good memory makes us smile on the inside.  That can be a huge help.  In Philippians 4, Paul encourages us to let our minds dwell on things that are good and true and right and noble. So spend a little time today thinking about all that has been good in your life…