“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19 (NIV)
I remember browsing through my grandmother’s scrapbook as a child, full of photos of people who were important in her life, even though I didn’t know all of them. She had a shrine of photos dedicated to her son, a Purple Heart Marine, who died in WW2. She also kept a letter from the Marine chaplain who wrote her to say that he knew her son and praised him as a man of faith. He died trying to save a fellow Marine, and though I never knew my heroic uncle, it felt like I did, through my grandmother’s scrapbook.
A scrapbook is special to the one who puts it together, but even more meaningful when it is shared with others. My grandmother was able to share and keep the memory of her son alive through her cherished scrapbook.
Mary had a place in her heart where she stored every cherished memory of Jesus’ life. She had her own mental scrapbook of memories, miracles, conversations and images that she treasured along the way. When Mary and Joseph searched for twelve year old Jesus and found Him in the temple, He told His parents He had to be in His father’s house. Mary treasured moments like that one in her heart.
We may have our own memories of how we searched for and found Jesus. We recall events and meaningful moments when He impacted our life, which we treasure in the scrapbook of our hearts. A scrapbook has a twofold purpose, it’s a comforting reflection for the one who keeps it, but it contains memories that were meant to be shared with others. Just as my grandmother helped me to feel as if I knew an uncle I never met, we have a scrapbook of memories of Jesus treasured in our heart, to share with those who do not know Him.
In sharing our treasured memories of Jesus, we might help someone else to come to know Him better too.
Whatever treasured memories we share with others today, will continue to bless and comfort many more people tomorrow.
Lord, we honor the memories of all our loved ones who are in the scrapbook of our hearts, and we also pray that we can share and reflect your memory as a divine and living presence to others. Amen
John C. Cooper, my uncle, WWII Purple Heart war hero, died in Iwo Jima July 10,1945
Me with my grandmother