A moment in time

"in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye"

1 Corinthians 15:52

Do you ever feel like your mind has taken a picture?  I only have a few memories of the house I was born in.  Well, I mean, I was born in a hospital, but you know, the first house of my childhood.  We moved from there when I was 6, so I was too young to remember much.  So the memories I have are like still photos.  Digging in the dirt in the backyard with my older sister.  The hydrangea bushes in our front yard.  The wallpaper in our kitchen.

I also remember the front yard of a house in the mountains, where we spent Christmas the year I was 5.  Nothing about Christmas itself, or the inside of the house; just the snowy front yard.

I'm sure all of us have memories like that from our childhood.  Generally we don't know until afterwards that a moment is going to stick with us.  We just find ourselves remembering what we remember.   But every once in awhile, as an adult, I experience the sensation of knowing that what I am currently doing, or feeling, is a memory that I'm going to remember forever.  It can't be repeated; it's too unique, too special, too once-in-a-lifetime.

Generally these times happen when I'm with my kids, but not always.  I think maybe it's because with our children, they're growing and changing so fast, we know we have to appreciate every stage of their lives.

For instance, a couple of summers ago, we vacationed in Tennessee, and had an amazing dinner at a BBQ dive in Memphis.  There are lots of styles of BBQ, but this one happened to be the style I like best ~ dry rub, sweet and not too spicy ~ so I was thoroughly enjoying it.  And then the entertainment began.  Elvis (from the Vegas years).  He was up there singing Blue Suede Shoes and gyrating as only Elvis (or an Elvis impersonator) could do.  I watched my kids, enjoying the adventure, and I knew I'd never forget that moment. 

"Elvis" is the bright spot in the middle

Or 2002, at the Salt Lake Winter Olympics.  My family ~ including siblings and parents ~ attended, and went to events in various combinations of two or four.   We parceled out the tickets based on the events people most wanted to see, so I only went to two events with the Apple of my Eye.  One of those was at a ski slope in the picturesque ski village of Park City, Utah.  There's a beautiful, charming Main Street of restaurants, galleries and shops.  My sweetie and I walked down the street, surrounded by snow-covered mountains and genial vacationers, as the snow was coming down, and it was so lovely.  It was like being inside a snowglobe.  I enjoyed the moment more, knowing I would be remembering it for a long, long time.

This was taken on one of our return trips ~ slightly less snowy :)

I love that there are special, one-of-a-kind moments like this; not just in my history, but in all history.  I love to read Scripture, and realize these moments are there, too.  The Bible is truth, from beginning to end; every story a true account of real people in actual places.  And there are moments that changed the lives of the people to whom they happened, or even the lives of every one of us.  Like the day when Abraham, after packing up everything he owned, set out to the place where God had called him.  Or the moment when Mary said, "Let it be done to me as you say."  Or the instant when the rooster crowed, and Peter realized his betrayal.  Or, of course, the moment when the sky went dark upon Jesus' death on the cross.  Remember the centurion who cried out, "Surely this Man was the Son of God!"?  That man knew he was experiencing a moment he would never forget. 

I think that's why I love today's verse so much.  It's about a moment in time, but in the future.  "We shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)  "You will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26)  "Then we who are living and remain shall be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."  (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Can you picture the moment in your mind?  Someday we won't have to.  That moment is coming.  It's a beautiful snapshot in our minds, not that we will look back on, but that we get to look forward to. 

~ "Comfort one another with these words" ~

1 Thessalonians 4:18