Laughter, Tears, and Reminiscing

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

September zipped by with lots of activities.

Our family celebrated several birthdays, and I attended my fiftieth high school reunion.

Twenty-eight classmates and one teacher, plus some spouses, gathered to reminisce and catch up on life. I hadn’t seen many of them for more than fifty years, while I had kept in touch with others thanks to social media and the years Tim and I and the girls lived in Lynchburg.

On the drive home, I thought about how much we had all changed. Of course, we’d aged (not too much,) but what I noticed the most—we’d grown in confidence, from a bunch of teenagers who were unsure of themselves, to productive individuals who have left our mark on society. We shared laughter and tears, remembered those whose lives had been cut short, and wished all our classmates could have attended. We prayed for classmates who had health problems and thanked God we could get together. I didn’t get to visit with everyone as much as I would have liked, but it was great to see each other.

When I think about all the people I have encountered in life, I’m reminded of God’s handiwork and how he created us to do good work. My heart bubbles over with joy to know how valuable we are to our heavenly Father. If no one has ever told you, or you need a reminder, God values you. He has used his wisdom to make you, and he loves you.

Sometimes I forget to thank God for creating me to be me. I’m too often hard on myself, but events like reunions remind me how far God has taken me in life and how much he loves me.

God loves you!