Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
    for they quickly pass, and we fly away…
Teach us to number our days,
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:10,12

I’ve been going through 14 years’ worth of photos lately. The Bible says where your treasure is, there your heart is also. I think that also applies to photos. I’ve been amazed at how many of my photos are of our church, services and events. I knew that the life of the church was important in my own life, but looking through these photos puts an exclamation point on that. And if you include the photos that other church members have been sending me, you see how the church has been present with us from birth to death and everything in between.

I see baptisms of kids now approaching their teens. I see confirmations of kids who are now adults. You can watch the kids growing up through Preschool, Sunday School, VBS, Basketball, POW, Rock Retreat, mission trips and Graduate Sunday. You can see adults become new members, get married, and baptize one baby, another and another.

As I gaze at the faces remembered fondly in my heart, I see people who have become like family, members who have moved away, members who have moved on and members who have passed on into Jesus’ arms. Hairstyles get longer and shorter and move from blonde and brown to white and gray.

As the years pass before me in the photos, every season and holiday are present: Valentine’s Day events, Mardi Gras Pancake Suppers, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Easter, Pentecost, 4^th of July Parades and Picnics, Back to School, the Church Picnic, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas.

There are lots of photos of our good works as well: Small Groups preparing meals, Preschoolers bringing their collections to the Food Bank, Church clean ups, hundreds of Christmas shoeboxes, blessing Prayer Shawls, filling Love Boxes for college kids, working at First Fruits Farms, Mission Fairs, the Holiday House Bazaar, the Yard Sale, the Christmas Tree sales, Flood Buckets, countless Advent Missions donations, recognizing outstanding women with a UMW pin, and much more.

And of course, in the fine Methodist tradition of “if we ain’t e’t, we ain’t met,” there are dozens of photos of Pancake Suppers, Christmas Dinners, Soup meals, 5^th Sunday Lunches, Ice Cream Socials, Brunches and Tea Parties. We’ve enjoyed an impressive number of speakers and performers, hosted retreats, lock-ins, and workshops, and held Hymn Sings.

And almost as numerous are photos of the extreme talent our congregation possesses. From the tiniest tots singing at the Christmas Tree Lighting, to musical masterpieces performed at the Hanging of the Greens, to singing and dancing at VBS, our kids are stars! We have also been blessed with fine actors in the numerous Performers of the Word productions, as well as the adult Easter plays. And what would a holiday worship service be without the Handbell Choir or a Cantata? Not to mention the weekly praises sung by our Worship Team and Chancel Choir. And so many photos of the artistic talent! From sets, props and costumes, to banners and VBS décor, to all the handiwork for sale at the Holiday House Bazaar, our members really bring their ‘A game’ to church activities.

In some ways 14 years seems like just yesterday. Each photo brings back a familiar memory. But in other ways it seems like another lifetime ago. So many people have come and gone, the children have grown, others have been born. But every photo represents a faithful servant of God, participating in the life of the church, working side by side, enjoying fellowship, and instructing and encouraging others with their words and actions.

Having a church family has been true blessing in my life. I could never regret the time and effort it has taken. I hope you feel the same. Truly the church has saved my life, both spiritually and physically by giving me direction and values and a whole new, talented family of brothers and sisters.

On the other hand, like sand through the hourglass, time is slipping away. I feel convicted and emotional realizing how precious the moments are, knowing that I have not lived each one to the fullest. It reminds me of one of my favorite Chris Rice songs that frequently passes through my thoughts:

Teach us to count the days

Teach us to make the days count

Lead us in better ways

Somehow our souls forgot

Life means so much

Every day is a gift you've been given

Make the most of the time every minute you're living

Trying desperately to count the days and make them count,

Jen