1997

Then the thought crowded in.

As I drove past the very familiar land and orchards, I remembered the many times my family traveled this stretch to church every Sunday morning. Before leaving at 9:00, I would have the kids peel potatoes and carrots for a pot roast that I would put on a low setting to bake while we were gone. It cooked at a higher heat for 30 minutes, so I had to start early enough to make that happen. I always cooked the roast the way my mother cooked it, where it’s so delicious and that the roast shreds and is perfectly made. That one stretch of road made me miss what used to be, when the children were young and we worshiped in church as a family.

It was what we did.

For a while we had an Oldsmobile station wagon with a third seat in back. It was a good car for church. My oldest daughter invited friends to church, mainly for the Awana club program. We’d pack them in. She and her friends would sing as I drove. They really liked “Hakuna Matata” from The Lion King and then they’d burst out in giggles. Awana was a work night for me. I’d always teach the story time in Sparkys, the little guys, and sometimes for both groups. That meant studying and preparing, which I would start on Sunday nights.

I loved making the story real for the kids.

Then the drive home in the dark. The kids were more quiet but talking. On occasion they would ask me questions. Then we’d drop the friends off at their homes and then arrive home and it would take a good thirty minutes before the kids settled down and the house became quiet. Only one year did I take a break, and that was after my youngest was born, (shortly after the photo was taken in this post). I was a very busy mother that sometimes it seemed like too much.

But I miss those days.

There was something special about being with family, having the kids with us, loving what we had together. We had a rough time financially and at times I felt guilty that we couldn’t provide more in material stability and security. One thing we did provide was consistency in things of the Lord and we modeled how to treat your fellow man with courtesy and kindness.

I was lonely for family today. That happens.

Those days are long gone now, never again will I experience the joy of having my family with me in the car on the way to church. Life goes on. We miss what once was and we embrace what is ahead. I find that there is a different set of people I interact with now, we find new ways to celebrate life. Once in awhile, I get to do the same with my own children and grandchildren when they come for a visit. We are making new memories.

To my children, thanks for the memories.

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