Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.
(Joshua 4:5-7)
Happy Memorial Day. Last year today, we went to Willamette National Cemetery to see Crooked River Bob, that 90-some-year-old WWII veteran I met while out walking one day. Do you remember him? Crooked River Bob lived in an old rundown house with tarps over the windows, and he confided that his kids were always drinking and “cooking up stuff” in the kitchen. Oh dear. One day I went to see him and found the house all boarded up with a hazard notice on the door. There’d been a bust. I only pray that Crooked River Bob has better accommodations now–I have no idea where he is.
But this year, while still honoring our country’s veterans, we’re observing another sort of Memorial Day–a remembrance of the faithfulness of God.
The idea came from my friend Shawna. Some 15 years ago I noticed a large jar on their living room coffee table. The jar was filled with rocks, and each rock had a number on it. Next to the jar was a small journal. In this journal they remembered the faithfulness of God.
Each rock represented an answered prayer, a miracle, a provision, some situation where God came through and proved His power and love for their family. Each time something like that would happen, they’d add another rock, numbered. In the journal they kept a numbered list, so that anyone could come, pull out a rock, turn to that number, and read a story of God’s personal care for their family.
Just as the children of Israel were to gather stones so that when their children asked, “What do these stones mean to you?” they could relay the account of how God led them through the wilderness, faithfully providing for them, then parted the waters of the Jordan river so they could walk across into the Promised Land.
This was to be a Memorial Forever.
I wish I’d began a dozen years ago!
Better late than never.
So a few weeks ago, when Dutch and I were having a mommy-son weekend, we spent an afternoon down at the river, and I gathered the rocks. Then I briefly wrote out accounts of some of the major miracles and ways God has provided for our family and answered prayers over the years. I started with the 13 that stick out to me the most, but I’m sure there are hundreds I’ve forgotten (that’s why we NEED to write them down!). Hopefully, now that we’ve started we’ll be more diligent to do just that. (I’ll need a bigger jar too as you can see, but I figured we can upgrade as our rock-pile grows! A friend gave me the jar, a perfect reminder that He does hear and He does answer.)
So today we are remembering the faithfulness of God. We do honor and remember our veterans. I am proud to be an American. But even more, I honor and remember our faithful God. I am glad to be His child.
{Happy Memorial Day. Thanks for reading.}
2 thoughts on “A Memorial Forever {A creative way to remember)”
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SO DOING THIS!! Thanks for sharing the idea! We had started a list somewhere, but love combining the physical/visual aspect! Have often thought of how we could do something like it, and this is so simple! Although, with three little boys who LOVE to throw rocks, perhaps it will be best kept up high for another year or two until we’ve mastered the rule of “no throwing inside” lol… I even know the jar I’m going to use–have one the same color as in your photo, sweet!
I also recall that jar! I think of it often also. It is easy to forget His faithfulness when we don’t have a physical reminder. I guess I am sorry sighted. I might have to work out a way to do this in my home too.