Age to Age and Heart to Heart

"Age to age and heart to heart
Bound by grace and peace
Child of wonder, Child of God
I'll remember you
Remember Me." (Schultz)

"Do this in remembrance." Remembering was important to Jesus. The human side of Him wanted to remain connected to loved ones. The God side knew we needed that connection. That vine and branches communion.

There is a part of us that lives in the memories of friends and family we are far away from. There are also shared memories we have of departed loved ones we had in common. They live yet even though they are gone. There are funny shared stories we tell of them and they are in the room with us at that moment. I have a friend I have had long enough to have buried people we mutually loved. An "old" friend.

That friend is having a birthday today. She is a friend from way back and she has some good dirt on me. She knew me when my speech was considerably more colorful than it is now. She has know me long enough to have watched my son, who was cast as a donkey, meow like a cat throughout the Children's Nativity. She remembers that same son eating a bug for money in the Youth Group. She was the one who told on him.

I remember lots of things about her too. I remember her spotless kitchen and clean kids. (Mine never were.) Her lovely wardrobe from Dillards. (I put things in Lay-A-Way at K-mart). She sang like a professional and I sang like...well, not a professional. We both love men named John. Mostly I remember that she is my friend and always will be no matter near or far or how opposite we are. There is a connectedness in Christ that ignores time and distance and difference and makes us sisters. I have her heart and she has mine in that great loving heart that is Christ's heart. That "Love one another as I have loved you," heart of grace.

Age to age and heart to heart you are my friend, Pris. I wish you the best and most blessed of birthdays. A year of Glory, Glory, Glory and Holy, Holy, Holy!

Give the maid the day off, Sis!

May God be Glorified in both of our lives.

Kathy