Moments

We are defined by the moments that we carry.

These moments, lasting either a few seconds or hours, are the memories that make us human. Every experience carries two moments, one of which is to the that of who is sharing, and the other to those listening. What we take of this is our moment, this is what makes us unique.

And, in the same, what people see of us are reflections of these. The way we act and react, the way we think and behave.

When I am older and laying on the ground with my grandson, I will lay my head on my lower arm as to visually be on scale with the toy car. I will share with him what my grandpa used to do when I was a kid because this is a moment of grandpa that I carry.

When I am building a playhouse with my son and strike my thumb with a hammer, in this bitter moment of frustration, I will look to my son and smile in the pain just like my grandpa had done for me. I will be happy to be frustrated near those who give me the most joy. This is a moment that I carry.

And when the odds are against me, I will call upon the Lord. This is a moment that was given to me.

Sharing these moments is what gives our lives meaning.

Except for the lord, grandpa never claimed to know anything. When he was showing me how to fix a tractor or how something in the yard worked, he was sharing with me a moment that had been given to him.

He was never the kind to say he would do something; he would simply do it. If it could be of benefit to you, he would attempt to move the entire earth. After he had done it, he may still not share that it had been done. I have been told this by many, but I have also seen it. He was a man of God's word.

Much like grandpa taught me, there is a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Just as God had promised, departing peacefully, he called his servant home (Luke 2:29). As so, the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

We must not move on from his life, only move forward in ours.

When the day should come that I am standing at the gates of heaven, I will tell Grandpa of all the things I did. Not in broad, but in light of the moments he and I shared and those moments I shared with others.

We are defined by the moments we carry. For this reason, I carry the moments of him.

Go forward in life, do not stumble.

When you should see a baby, think of the way grandpa would look at them. The way he would smile with patience and love.

And when you see a farmer harvesting crop, think of the peace he received in knowing hard work had been done.

When you see a chocolate pie with a graham cracker crust, enjoy it, he sits at the table of God.

Above all the moments of Edwin that we call upon, when you see a bible, remember God's promise, Edwin’s faithfulness, and the value of family.

For these are the mo

ments I will be defined.

So help me God.