It was a dinner to remember and reflect on the past decades. Sometimes you just have to take time to reminisce.

We probably have all done this. It seems I’m doing it a lot more lately. 

It’s good to reflect on the past year, or years, and recall what you did, accomplished, or should have done differently.

Now that I’m retired, I’m doing a lot more of that. 

In our family room right now, there are eleven boxes of files and memories from the past almost four decades of ministry. I’ve started sifting through them and some of the files go back to when I first started in ministry. 

There are a ton of things like old youth event calendars that Lily or I made, or Graham one of our youth designed. He was a master creator.

But with each calendar, form or contact list that would cross my eyes, I had to pause. People and events needed to be reflected on before I could dispatch them to a keeper file or the trash. 

Some of these files I will never use again but I need to keep a sampling of them because they help when I go back and remember the past. 

This summer Lily and I spent a couple of hours with an old and dear youth leader, Audrey. We’re so glad we did because she passed away just a few months after our visit. 

When we arrived at her house she had a file for us to see. In it there was a list of the names of students who’d attended a certain retreat. 

We spent a lot of time just looking at those names and talking about each student and our memories of them.  

It was a special time.

You can’t just erase the past and start fresh; you need some hooks to remember the past. Sorting through my files will provide me with a point of connection to the past the next time I take a trip down memory lane. 

Two days after my last day of work, Lily and I went out for dinner. It wasn’t just dinner at a restaurant; we ate at the revolving restaurant at the top of the CN Tower in Toronto. 

It was significant and reminiscent of years ago when we would have dinner after the Christmas Eve Service in Edmonton. We would eat at the Chateau LaCombe Hotel, in their revolving restaurant that overlooked the river valley and city. 

Seeing the sights of Toronto as the landscape slowly changed before us reminded us of those days. 

At dinner we talked about ministry at our churches and the people who have walked through our lives, enriched us and encouraged us. We spent time reflecting on what we have experienced over so many years. 

After dinner we strolled around the observation deck and, as we looked out at the night and the lights that glimmered and sparkled, we talked about our future. 

Looking ahead capped off a perfect dinner of remembering. … for there is no point reminiscing if you don’t also look ahead.

Here’s the thing: Reminiscing should spur us on to what is next. When you recall your past, be sure to recall the times God provided, answered your prayer, supplied your need, protected you, gave you wisdom and helped you make decisions. When you do that, you will boldly continue to move on with Jesus as your guide and strength. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: When will you take some time to reflect and remember? Leave your comments and questions below.

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