Memory Associations...
It's crazy how we remember odd things about other people. Sometimes you can be identified by your past quirks for the rest of your life - even if you don't do it anymore.
A few weeks ago, I was "promoted" to using the riding mower on the ESR grounds crew. As soon as I sat on the mower, I immediately thought of a kid I had in my first youth ministry back in 1999. Chris was a funny kid. He got picked on a lot and was not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, if you know what I mean. It was because of him that I learned that I can be a very patient man - he tried that patience every day. He was 15 and his only goal in life was to get a driving license so he could cruise around our small town in his car. He was so looking forward to getting that license that he didn't want to wait for his car. So, he would drive his riding lawnmower all over the place. He lived very close to the church building (and our parsonage) and I would see him cruising the neighborhood every day with his mower.
Chris is not someone you could easily forget.
Another memory was triggered this weekend when we went to a new Indian (India-Indian. Not Native American-Indian) restaurant in town. I've been to Indian places in Johnson City before, but this time I couldn't stop thinking of a family in our church in Indianapolis. They used to be missionaries in Africa, so they had an affinity for cross-cultural experiences. They began a tradition of eating Indian food for their Thanksgiving meal. It seemed odd the first time I heard about it. But now that I think back on it, it's really a pretty cool tradition.
There are more little things that have triggered my memory as of late. I've run out of time to share them right now, so I'll have to write more later. It's interesting to find out the things we associate with other people. I wonder what little things have been associated with me?
A few weeks ago, I was "promoted" to using the riding mower on the ESR grounds crew. As soon as I sat on the mower, I immediately thought of a kid I had in my first youth ministry back in 1999. Chris was a funny kid. He got picked on a lot and was not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, if you know what I mean. It was because of him that I learned that I can be a very patient man - he tried that patience every day. He was 15 and his only goal in life was to get a driving license so he could cruise around our small town in his car. He was so looking forward to getting that license that he didn't want to wait for his car. So, he would drive his riding lawnmower all over the place. He lived very close to the church building (and our parsonage) and I would see him cruising the neighborhood every day with his mower.
Chris is not someone you could easily forget.
Another memory was triggered this weekend when we went to a new Indian (India-Indian. Not Native American-Indian) restaurant in town. I've been to Indian places in Johnson City before, but this time I couldn't stop thinking of a family in our church in Indianapolis. They used to be missionaries in Africa, so they had an affinity for cross-cultural experiences. They began a tradition of eating Indian food for their Thanksgiving meal. It seemed odd the first time I heard about it. But now that I think back on it, it's really a pretty cool tradition.
There are more little things that have triggered my memory as of late. I've run out of time to share them right now, so I'll have to write more later. It's interesting to find out the things we associate with other people. I wonder what little things have been associated with me?