Making Memories, Building Lasting Relationships
By Paul Hill
As I'm sitting here, I've just come back from the memorial of a classmate I've known since 8th grade. Jeff died of liver failure. It was six weeks from the diagnosis until his death. Just six weeks. As with so many, Jeff believed he had more time, so he kept postponing putting his life in God's hands. There's no more time now.
Jeff's wife died early in their marriage. They had one daughter, Stephanie. Their daughter/father bond was one of the strongest I've ever seen. She told memories of how he would clear the furniture out of the living room so they could set up a tent or build a fort. He would sleep with her in the fort or tent. Sometimes her friends would come over for weekends and they would all camp in the living room together. She talked about how he never missed an event in her life, no matter what. Stephanie recounted so many times and ways they built great memories. This didn't just happen, it was intentional. See, Jeff mourned the loss of his wife for three decades. But through his sorrow (there was sorrow), he prioritized making a good childhood for his daughter. Lots of time spent together building good memories and an enduring relationship.
There are too many important items in life we keep putting off. A lot of times we're busy with the urgency of the moment rather than the things of lasting value. What's going to be important in a year, three or five years from now? Are those the activities we are investing in first?
We have to make the time, and it has to be intentional. Building good memories for my family has been important. One of the things the Hill family did was go to Family Camp at Camp Tadmor every year. We camped with friends from our church, and drug along new friends, willing or not. There were a lot of other families with the same values, and we became camping buddies, looking forward to being together for a week every year. We'd still be going if Family Camp existed today.
Jeff's wife died early in their marriage. They had one daughter, Stephanie. Their daughter/father bond was one of the strongest I've ever seen. She told memories of how he would clear the furniture out of the living room so they could set up a tent or build a fort. He would sleep with her in the fort or tent. Sometimes her friends would come over for weekends and they would all camp in the living room together. She talked about how he never missed an event in her life, no matter what. Stephanie recounted so many times and ways they built great memories. This didn't just happen, it was intentional. See, Jeff mourned the loss of his wife for three decades. But through his sorrow (there was sorrow), he prioritized making a good childhood for his daughter. Lots of time spent together building good memories and an enduring relationship.
There are too many important items in life we keep putting off. A lot of times we're busy with the urgency of the moment rather than the things of lasting value. What's going to be important in a year, three or five years from now? Are those the activities we are investing in first?
We have to make the time, and it has to be intentional. Building good memories for my family has been important. One of the things the Hill family did was go to Family Camp at Camp Tadmor every year. We camped with friends from our church, and drug along new friends, willing or not. There were a lot of other families with the same values, and we became camping buddies, looking forward to being together for a week every year. We'd still be going if Family Camp existed today.
Good childhood memories help create a sense of belonging, where we've come from, our identity. Many of the decisions we make throughout life stem from these memories, or sadly, the lack of them.
This is one of the big reasons Myrna and I are willing to invest in the GPBC All Church Campout. We value creating opportunities for everyone to develop those relationships, making those memories. We'd sure like for you to consider coming, either for the weekend, or for the day Saturday. Be a part of something bigger. Be with friends, meet new folks, develop those long-lasting, enduring relationships that tighten the bonds of the body of Christ.
Don't procrastinate, sign up today.