Have you noticed how quickly time flies? Or is just me who thinks time has sped up…
At the moment I’m putting some finishing touches to a Scrapbook Album for my eldest grandson for his fast approaching 18th birthday.
And also tweaking a photo book I’m getting printed for him. The two will be his gift. And going through the years of memories has reminded me of how quickly time passes…
You see two decades ago I started a project that I didn’t realise would become such a mammoth task, a true labour of love.
I started a scrapbook album for each of my then two granddaughters (they both have their albums now).
Then in the years since many more grandchildren have been added to our family with one great grandchild arriving recently!
Adding a scrapbook album for each grandchild as they arrived, which records mainly the fun they’ve had with my husband (Poppy) & I in the first 18 years of their life.
However, since CoVid, every few years I’ve also been creating photo books with an online publisher of our family events, as a hard copy record of family fun together. Giving these as Christmas gifts to each family unit & they love them!
In fact they gather around them remembering times together & things accomplished that they had actually forgotten in the busyness of their lives.
These recent photo books are what I’m presently combining & personalising for my grandson.
Unfortunately, I’ve lost my creative touch with scrapbooking. I noticed this when completing my second granddaughter’s album a few years ago.
Although over the last two decades I have created & gifted 10 other full scrapbook photo albums to family & friends.
But I always make sure everything is fair & equal when giving each grandchild a record of their first 18 years with us, so recently I’ve also expanded it to include fun they’ve had with their cousins, aunts & uncles.
As I’ve noticed in this digital age that a plethora of photos are taken but most get lost in the overwhelm or in digital devices. As technology constantly changes, not necessarily the new compatible with the old, many important family photos go missing!
I’ve felt over the years, especially since my late husband passed into Glory, that I’m our family’s keeper of memories. But this doesn’t accomplish anything unless those memories & times are shared!
A hardcopy photo album or photo book can last several generations! And everyone in the family has free access to a hardcopy whenever they desire to sit, have a cuppa & travel down memory lane.
We live in Exciting Times
Talking about time, have you noticed when we look around this world & its recent events that we are living in very exciting times?
Why exciting?
Well God’s Word gives us some things to look out for when Jesus return is drawing near, He called these events labour pains, forerunners to the bigger events that will herald His imminent return;
‘Jesus answered,
“See to it that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.
These things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains…’ Matthew 24: 4-8 BSB
I’ve noticed things in my own nation aligning with what God’s word fore warned us would take place in 2 Timothy 3.
As there has been a definite moving away at the highest levels of our nation from God’s principles for living that our nation was founded upon & an adoption of practices that go directly against Him.
Just like family memories, if we don’t share them with the younger generations they will remain unknown.
So too will the good news of Jesus & the coming events that will herald His return if we remain silent.
So be aware, be alert & share His good news to all my friend…for time is short! As shared in my personal experience HERE.
Until next time,
Jennifer
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© 2024 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog All Rights Reserved. Photo by Elly Fairytale on Pexels.com
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What amazing reminders for family memories and more importantly the Good News of Jesus. His story in our life is of paramount importance and needs to be shared. Urgency- yes! I feel it too. An urgency for FaceTime, in person conversations and letters written. Thank you for the alert🌸
Lisa
You’re most welcome Lisa & thank you! It’s lovely having you join me here today 😊
I love the idea of gifting a scrapbook album of the first 18 years of your grandchildren’s lives. I tried scrapbooking when my girls were young but it didn’t work out so well. I bought all the fancy stuff, but then my follow through got up and left.
Thanks bunches for sharing this lovely post with Sweet Tea & Friends this month dear friend.
Maybe it’s a future project for you Paula 😊
I’ve been wanting to do something like this. I did an album for each of my boys of their first years, But I’d like to do more. Plus I have pictures and keepsakes on my grandparents on both sides–I’ve been wanting to make a scrapbook and tell their stories for the family to remember. They are not so much interested in these things now. But the older I’ve gotten, the more I wish I knew about the family who came before. I trust that will be the case for my kids, too.
Yes, I’ve noticed that when our adult children had their own families they become very interested in past family events of their life & family history (where they hadn’t been earlier in life).
My grandchildren have been the same as soon as they have their own child their roots become important & they treasure their scrapbooks.
So I definitely encourage you to start their scrapbooks Barbara. 😊
I, too, am a bit of a keeper of family memories. I have created three quilts that tell the story of several different family members. Iam preparing to kick off a new quilt-along that will encourage participants to make their quilt tell their story and will have pages with questions for them to answer. When the quilt is complete, they can compile their pages as an accompaniment to the quilt. I think it will be a great time!
What a beautiful idea, something that will be cherished down through the generations I’m sure. 😊
Jennifer, I’ve noticed that time does fly by. It saddens me, but I know that when Jesus returns there is so much more to look forward to. I cherish all the memories made in the now, and it is so nice to look back on photos. Photos hold so many memories and are the best stories. Thank you for sharing with us at The Crazy Little Lovebirds link party #23.
Yes, we definitely look forward to His return Stephanie. I agree photos capture wonderful stories in the moment. 😊
what a beautiful legacy, a gift that will stay with grandchildren for a long, long time. thank you for this nudge toward memory making and generous love, Jennifer.
Thank you Linda & you’re most welcome my friend.
Jennifer, I love that you create special albums for each grandchild. Each album is sure to be treasured as it not only holds memories but they will know it was from you. I enjoyed this post as just yesterday an older cousin and I were talking about some old home videos he had watched and had some questions about our family history. The only one who could answer them was my mom. You are so right – it is important to share family memories. And more important to share and instill the principles found in God’s Word. May we be alert to the times and opportunities we are being given, for the time is short. Blessings to you and yours!
Thank you Joanne & blessings to you sweet friend. Yes, so much important family information is lost if we don’t pass it on or ask our seniors for that information before it’s too late.
I love your following statement;
“May we be alert to the times and opportunities we are being given, for the time is short.” Amen!
I want to do a better job of organizing, displaying, and sharing our family pictures!
It’s very worthwhile Michele & a wonderful legacy too. 🙂
I love this so much! I’m a huge believer in the power of photos and stories and memories when they are recorded and shared. They get loved so much more that way! (I’ve even been blogging about it for 14 years and made a side business out of it for 18!) As I’ve done bits of research for some of my blog posts, I’ve read that family stories and memories can improve self-esteem as well as memory, and they increase both happiness levels (mood) and relaxation. There are so many reasons to do exactly what you’re doing, both for yourself and your loved ones! 🙂 (I made a whole list here, actually: https://lifetalesbooks.blogspot.com/p/benefits.html) Visiting from Sweet Tea & Friends linkup.
Thank you Jennifer! I’m delighted you enjoyed our time together my friend. And thank you for the link to your post, I just had a read & well done!
My sweet daughter-in-love gifts me a beautiful photo album of our three grandchildren each year for Christmas. I treasure each book!
I love these scriptures:
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 ESV
Thank you, sweet friend for your inspiring posts ❤️
I love that your daughter-in-love does that for you Pam! How lovely! And the scripture you included is most apt! Thank you sweet friend ❤️