Anticipate, Commemorate and Appreciate

November 21, 2019 by  
Filed under Daily Devotions, Family

By Hally Franz –

Shopping for souvenirs was once an important part of the vacation experience. I remember the first time I ever flew. I, along with five other schoolmates, had been awarded a two-week trip to Saltillo, Mexico to study Spanish. It was the summer between my sophomore and junior year of high school, and I had done very little traveling prior to this. I remember diligently shopping for trinkets for family and friends. I bought ceramic ashtrays for my grandfathers and dad. I purchased several dazzling, velvet sombreros for my sister and others. This trip was a big deal to me and my family; I wanted to remember it.

In the thirty years since then, travel has become much more commonplace. Typically, people don’t buy souvenirs for those at home. I’ve even noticed that cameras are sometimes left behind. While at one time, we wouldn’t dream of taking a vacation or trip somewhere without commemorating it with photos, these days people may not even bother, except of course to post a phone photo on facebook. The art of anticipating and reflecting on special events, trips and family vacations seems to have been lost.

Today, we have less time to look forward to exciting events, because they seem to happen with greater frequency. As soon as one event has come and gone, there is another to plan and prepare for. Likewise, we rarely have and/or take time to review pictures and talk about special memories made.

While it’s important to fully appreciate life as it happens, it is also good to savor feelings of excitement before and cherish moments after special times in our lives. As we approach fall, take time to recall and relish special memories made throughout this summer. Thank God for the blessings of family and fond memories to last well beyond this season and years into the future.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessings of good times spent with family and friends. Lord, help me to hold these memories in my heart, appreciating each of them as gifts from You.

BIBLE VERSE: “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High” (Psalm 92:1 NKJV).

About Hally Franz

Hally Franz writes about her observations on family and faith, parenting and people. She is a former high school guidance counselor, turned stay-at-home mom. Hally and husband Tim will celebrate twenty years of marriage this year, and have two teens. She is a 4-H leader and band mom, serves as her church secretary and as a Bible class teacher. Hally enjoys traveling with her family and participating in monthly book club meetings with her pals.
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Comments

2 Responses to “Anticipate, Commemorate and Appreciate”
  1. Lori Lipsky says:

    Wonderfully written. It is always good to give thanks for the blessings of “good times spent with family and friends.” It is good to remind each other of this, too, since we are such forgetful beings.

    Thank you for the reminder today, Hally.

    • Hally Franz says:

      Thanks, Lori, for your comment. I often remind my children how blessed they and so many other young people are in this country… just to have good times.

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