In the late 1980's at Springfield Friends Meeting in High Point, NC, it became a tradition for my wife Marilyn and our dear friend Karen Chester to sing the Amy Grant song Heirlooms during the Christmas season. The song has always meant a great deal to me, and this year the lyrics seem to be speaking to me in a whole new way. Let me try to explain.
This past Saturday Marilyn, Will and I had lunch with three former FUMC-K students- Caitlin & Bethany Esry and Julia Pribyl. All of them were still young when I left Kissimmee in 2000, and with the circumstances of all of our lives in the past decade I can think of little reason why we would still be in touch and still getting together. But there we were, sharing lunch at Olive Garden, catching up with each others' lives and on old stories. I was reminded again that the bonds formed in the youth ministries I have served over the years are strong. Through our faith in Jesus, we became family to one another. As in all good families, we struggle, we fail, we forgive and we celebrate. The relationships I shared with hundreds of students and parents over they years are so much more that just memories- so much more than just stories to be shared on a blog.
Which brings me back to the song and the picture at the top. Shortly after we moved to Kissimmee in 1994, Jimmy & Karen Chester (the couple on the far right in the picture) and Jeff & Lori Cox (Lori is in front of me; Jeff was the photographer) and all of their kids came to Walt Disney World for vacation. We were blessed to spend time with all of them that week, and it was simply an amazing adventure, full of stories and memories. I don't suppose we have all been together in one place since. But lately, through through the wonders of Facebook, we have caught up with these old friends again. We know that there have been births and weddings for their now grown kids. And that picture, which has spent years displayed in a Pooh Bear frame in our home, is now alive again. I find myself missing the people more than the memories. And just as with Caitlin, Bethany and Julia, that is exactly how it should be.
It always brought tears to my eyes to hear Karen and Marilyn sing the line, "My precious Jesus is more than an heirloom to me." We must never allow Jesus to become just a picture on a wall or a cross around our necks. Jesus must never be an heirloom we try to pass along to our children or our friends. Jesus must be real and alive in our lives. This Christmas season enjoy the times with friends and family, the traditions and the gifts. Enjoy the memories of Christmas past. But do not forget that it is the Christ, born so that we might know life and life abundant, who is the reason we celebrate. Jesus- the only hope for me is you...and You alone!
Too often we put Jesus on a shelf and let him collect dust like the rest of the heirlooms. Excellent thoughts here. - Tracey Fernandez
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