Time is quickly fading and memories are being made that no pictures could capture to be put in a frame, but rather tucked away in the many treasure chests in my heart. I could write Hallmark cards.
But yes it's true for two reasons. Our camera broke from me (or Christoph, we don't really want to say who it was) putting an open water bottle in my purse for all the water to spill out and ruin our camera among a couple other things. So no memory capturing with pictures. The second reason is completely tangible, at least in my opinion. Have you ever seen something so beautiful that you know there is no way a picture could ever capture the essence of the memory? Well, living in a place like Europe and traveling to places like Italy for instance, I feel this way so many times. I find myself trying to capture the smell, the touch, the light, the food...everything, call it a name, and put it where it belongs to be treasured forever.
Last week was full of doing such things as my parents visited us for the first time in our new apartment.
It started with my mom coming on Saturday and later my dad meeting up with us on Tuesday after he attended a work meeting in Bremen. Having some quality time with just my mother was just what I needed since finding out I was pregnant and going through different things that are so new and uncomfortable at times. I was pleased to take her along to our new church so she could experience what I experience in my German world. This Sunday church was particularly heartbreaking as I struggled to translate to her the testimony of a man who's wife died just days before of breast cancer. The attitude of this man, who was our pastor's brother -in-law was that I have never seen before of someone who has just accepted the fact that the mother of his two children at the ages of 8 and 6, and his loving wife was never to be seen again on this earth. Among some of the many beautiful things he said, he explained with tears withheld that who is he to say when his wife should pass away, and he is nothing but grateful to God for the beautiful times and memories he had while his wife was still alive. The last hours of his wife's passing was so peaceful because she was nothing but accepting of leaving this world and going to meet her Savior.
As I was intensely listening, not understanding every exact word, I found myself realizing something which I am sure many others realized at that same moment. Life comes at us with so many unexpected circumstances, and to not enjoy our marriage for what God has given us is to deny ourselves of a beautiful blessing that was meant always by God to be some of the happiest times of our life. This man and his heart was such a beautiful memory of what it means to be married and to enjoy every minute of our lives for what it is. The little fights about whatever, the memories ruined because of selfishness, all of these things have been given to us to make a choice in the matter to give up our right and to choose our battles wisely. Everyday I have to remind myself of this, and of coarse everyday I struggle with it. My heart gets hard once again because for some reason I feel that I deserve to be right. I loved this man's attitude, and little did he know that through his wife's death if not only me, but many people would see that there is always something to learn in your marriage and to never take advantage of the time you have together.
But yes it's true for two reasons. Our camera broke from me (or Christoph, we don't really want to say who it was) putting an open water bottle in my purse for all the water to spill out and ruin our camera among a couple other things. So no memory capturing with pictures. The second reason is completely tangible, at least in my opinion. Have you ever seen something so beautiful that you know there is no way a picture could ever capture the essence of the memory? Well, living in a place like Europe and traveling to places like Italy for instance, I feel this way so many times. I find myself trying to capture the smell, the touch, the light, the food...everything, call it a name, and put it where it belongs to be treasured forever.
Last week was full of doing such things as my parents visited us for the first time in our new apartment.
It started with my mom coming on Saturday and later my dad meeting up with us on Tuesday after he attended a work meeting in Bremen. Having some quality time with just my mother was just what I needed since finding out I was pregnant and going through different things that are so new and uncomfortable at times. I was pleased to take her along to our new church so she could experience what I experience in my German world. This Sunday church was particularly heartbreaking as I struggled to translate to her the testimony of a man who's wife died just days before of breast cancer. The attitude of this man, who was our pastor's brother -in-law was that I have never seen before of someone who has just accepted the fact that the mother of his two children at the ages of 8 and 6, and his loving wife was never to be seen again on this earth. Among some of the many beautiful things he said, he explained with tears withheld that who is he to say when his wife should pass away, and he is nothing but grateful to God for the beautiful times and memories he had while his wife was still alive. The last hours of his wife's passing was so peaceful because she was nothing but accepting of leaving this world and going to meet her Savior.
As I was intensely listening, not understanding every exact word, I found myself realizing something which I am sure many others realized at that same moment. Life comes at us with so many unexpected circumstances, and to not enjoy our marriage for what God has given us is to deny ourselves of a beautiful blessing that was meant always by God to be some of the happiest times of our life. This man and his heart was such a beautiful memory of what it means to be married and to enjoy every minute of our lives for what it is. The little fights about whatever, the memories ruined because of selfishness, all of these things have been given to us to make a choice in the matter to give up our right and to choose our battles wisely. Everyday I have to remind myself of this, and of coarse everyday I struggle with it. My heart gets hard once again because for some reason I feel that I deserve to be right. I loved this man's attitude, and little did he know that through his wife's death if not only me, but many people would see that there is always something to learn in your marriage and to never take advantage of the time you have together.
Comments