All my visits to my Grandmother's are what I call keeper memories. I am so thankful for the memories I have of both my grandparents on both sides of my family.
I remember the independence I felt the day I was finally old enough to walk over to Grandmother's house all-by-my-self! I use to love surprising them. I would excitedly approach the front door, knock, listen and wait for that welcomed sound of grandma approaching. On sunny days, I would hear voices coming from outside where they were soaking in the sun and speaking Italian a mile a minute.
I would shyly approach the small gathering. Grandma would spot me and say, "Ah, Judy come-a, come-a..."
"Come-a" I understood. The rest....well, I kept trying to figure it out by the context of the few words I did know and applied myself to learning the Italian sign language for the rest. It seemed to work, for the most part. Keeper memories.
I got so good at reading my grandparents and their friends Italian sign language, that when I got my first job working in a nursing home, I was golden. The Italian patients I had loved me and I them. More than once, a nurse would be stumped at what certain patients needed so they called me. "Can you PLEASE figure out what she (pointing to a room) wants?" they would ask a bit frustrated.
The nurses would sometimes gather around and watch as I shyly approached the doorway of the room. They stood outside covered in cereal. I nervously gulped and entered the room.
There, sitting in a hospital recliner chair was the tiniest of ladies. She too, was covered in cereal and if I didn't watch where I was walking, I would end up on the cereal covered floor. (Oatmeal is a bear to clean up) "Oh boy!" Luckily, upon seeing me, the patient began speaking angrily and flailing her arms. I breathed a sigh of relief. Italian. This is easy!
Needless to say, I figured out her sign language and we became the best of friends to the end. (Thank you God and thank you Grandma) I will never forget this sweet lady. Slowly she won the trust of the other nurses so she was no longer THE room to avoid. She was such a sweetie. Once again, there was peace. A new keeper memory.
I have hidden in my heart, tons of keeper memories. Perhaps you do too and this Pop Heart Greeting card and this blog post will trigger some of your own keeper memories. Will you share a keeper memory you have with me? I'd love to hear one. Keeper memories keep our heart warm. When we share them, we relive them and warm the hearers heart too. How about it? Will you share a keeper memory? Keeper memories are worth reliving over and over and over...
On this cold wintery day, stay warm and safe. If your keeper memory stirs grief, I'm so sorry. "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Psalm 28:7. Will you with me, look to God for your strength. He will comfort and help you. Will you trust Him with your broken heart? "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18. Will you join me in holding fast to the hope we have been given in God? God is our living hope. He is hope that will not disappoint. "Blessed are you whose hope is in the Lord." Psalm 146:5.
"Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8
If you would like to hear more of the comfort, courage and hope we have in God, listen to a podcast of a previously aired broadcast of Selah. Be richly blessed.
Blessings to you and yours
Judy