Family Picture

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”
– Psalm 127:3

Recently I was confronted with the need to clear the information from an old iPhone of mine. Part of that purging was to remove an extraordinary number of pictures. I actually had to go to the store and buy a cable to connect my computer to the phone. (Incidentally, cables to fit an iPhone 3 are not available at every store.) Fortunately I found one without much searching, and I proceeded to connect the phone and download pictures. I think there were over 2,200 of them. With the pictures safely migrated to their new home, I moved on without much further thought about the digital glimpses into our past years.

What I didn’t expect was that the pictures would show up on my television screen saver. Now I find myself reflecting on these mile markers of my family’s journey together. There are prom pictures, wedding pictures, and pre-op pictures (sometimes there are bumps in the journey). There are zoo pictures, aquarium pictures, and beach pictures. There are pictures of visits with extended family, pictures of friends, pictures of us cooking in the kitchen or dancing in the family room.  There are boyfriend pictures (eewww!), pictures of pets, toys, and motorcycles (big toys). I was honestly astounded at the volume of memories contained on that old iPhone.

Now that these memories have been revived, I am moved to give thank to God for the incredible family I have. Those family pictures were working together to create a “family picture,” a collective glimpse at the blessing of family that has filled my life for decades. God has been so good! My wife just gets more beautiful every year, and I watch with amazement at how God is shaping my children. There is a hint of poignancy for me. The pictures remind me that I am aging, and that I have many more years behind me than in front of me. I need to consider what legacy I will leave for them, what impact I can still have upon them in whatever time I have left. That reflection will wait for another time. For now I just want to smile and give thanks for the awesome family picture that God has created for me.

See you along the winding path…