The Past. . .

I wrote this blog last August. I went back to find it because it seems so relevant today.

After both of my grandparents died, it was quite a chore cleaning out their house. If you’ve ever done this – you know what I mean! In the back of the closet in the study downstairs was this picture:

We finally figured out that it was my PapaDaddy’s grandmother, Minerva Houston Walker (supposedly kin to Sam Houston – who knows?). I immediately spoke up that I’d like to have dear ole’ Minerva’s picture, and she now proudly hangs in my dining room. It’s not a beautiful picture. In fact, you might could say that “she looks like she was weaned on a pickle!” But, I love it because it represents the past – my past. This picture was taken in her later years. Her hair is tightly wound in a bun and she isn’t smiling – as folks rarely did in pictures back then. She was probably beautiful as a young girl, but a hard life shows on her face. When I look at this picture, I think of all the hardships that she must have endured, and yet – she made it to “old age.”

In today’s society, we have a tendency to view everything from our 2019 point of view. If we don’t like it now – then, folks shouldn’t have gone along with it back then. Just erase it like it never happened. But, what happened in the past did happen. We can’t just “wish” it away. Accepted world views have changed throughout the years, and to truly “get the picture” of where we came from – we need to study and learn from other’s actions – both good and bad. Because all of us – have done good and bad. We’re human, and so were our ancestors. I imagine that they were just doing the best they could in the world in which they lived – just like we are today.

God wanted us to know our past – where we came from and why we are here. God gave us the Old Testament to help us understand the history of the world. It tells of the creation and how life began. It tells of the fall of man and God’s plan of redemption. The Old Testament tells of God’s patience and long-suffering with His people, and yet, when they rebelled against Him, He allowed them to suffer the consequences. Galatians 3:24 says, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The schoolmaster in this instance is similar to a bus driver today. The Old Testament brings us to the New Testament, and the New Testament shows us the way to eternity.

May we never forget where we came from. May we use this knowledge to avoid making the same mistakes that others made. May we live in such a way that those in the future will want to emulate and follow our examples when we’re “the past”. Thank you, Great-Great Grandmother, Minerva, for reminding me of the importance of remembering the past. God Bless, Courtney