What have you done for me lately?

Joshua 4:19-24  "Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho.  Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.  He said to the sons of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' then you shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.'  "For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever."

Last Saturday, as I was in the garage, getting ready to put a fresh coat of paint on the door going into the house, my attention was drawn to the casing on the left side of the door.  It was badly in need of touching up; pencil lines, writing, and smudges covered it from top to bottom, but I had no intention of painting it.  Instead, I carefully pried it loose and replaced it with a fresh piece of moulding.  My plan is to mount that old, smudged trim in the shop at the "Utah house". 

Why go to all that trouble for a useless, dirty piece of wood?  Because those lines and words chronicle the growth of my granddaughters.  As I gazed at those markings, my twenty-something year-old granddaughters became three-year-olds once more.  My heart and mind were flooded with memories of them at the various ages listed before me.  

I need reminders of God's work in my life.  When I'm stressed and besieged by doubts, when I'm tempted to ask God, "What have You done for me lately?", re-visiting memories of His faithfulness and provision draw me back to a place of trust and peace.

We don't have to use stones, like the Israelites did.  It can be as simple as a marked-up piece of door casing (I plan to mount a fresh piece next to the old one for my great-grandchildren). I've been keeping a journal of sorts that chronicles our journey into retirement and the building of our new home.  Reviewing it from time to time keeps my faith fresh and my vision clear.

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your faithfulness - Your provision, direction, protection in my life.  Please keep those experiences fresh in my heart so the doubts and fears won't dim the memories of Your blessings and intervention.  Help me to celebrate You today!  Amen.