Tuesday 4: Memorials and Memories

 

Memorials...


Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

We celebrated Memorial Day on Monday... let's talk about memorials and memories.

1. Do you find memories comforting or troubling?

For the most part, most of my life's memories are comforting. But, like everyone in this world, there have been times in my life that were not so pleasant and I prefer "not to go back there".  

However, we should learn from our past mistakes or heartaches and press forward, knowing that God will give us the strength and courage to keep moving ahead with His grace and love.

2. Have you set up a memorial for a loved one or friend?

Yes, we have a "Memorial Garden" for our son Matthew, who passed away on May 25, 2014. Because at that time his home was in Maine and we live in Florida, we knew that we would never or seldom be able to ever visit his grave, we just felt like we needed something at our home to be set aside as a place to remember him in a positive and pleasant way.  It became a family project from the beginning...HERE is the post I wrote about that at the time...  and this is a picture of that first Memorial Garden:

But then, as most of you know, we moved a few years later to our present home, and we knew we wanted to establish a new Memorial Garden here as well. It is not as elaborate as the first one, and actually it is still a work in progress, but here is how it looks now:

We chose this spot because it is beside Still Waters Pond, and I know that Matthew would have loved it here.  He loved to fish and also the peacefulness of a pond...so this is a perfect spot.

I often just sit here in the Memorial Garden and talk to God, pray, sometimes sing hymns...and my thoughts often go to Matthew, and I wonder just what he's doing up there in heaven these days. I wish I could talk to him, and I will admit that sometimes I do, but of course he doesn't answer in an audible way, but yet I feel a sense of peace that all is well and I am comforted in knowing he is safe and healthy and very happy right where he is, and we WILL see him again someday. And that is very comforting.

3. What songs bring back good memories for you?

That's a hard question. I love music and there are so many songs that go all the way back to my childhood. I can remember my Grandpa Tedlie singing "I love you, a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck, a hug around the neck".  I can remember my parents singing to us and to each other, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you; Please don't take my sunshine away."  And I used to always sing to my three little boys when we'd tuck them into bed at night after saying their prayers...we'd sing "Jesus Loves me, this I know; For the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong, they are weak, but He is strong! Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes Jesus loves me, Yes Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so!"  And then I'd sing, "Away in the Manger, no crib for His bed; the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head; The stars in the sky look down where He lay, the Little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay."  And we had special motions we'd do, like when the song says "the stars in the sky look down where He lay", I would point up to the stars, and then my hand would come down and tickle them on their tummies and they'd all giggle and be so happy...and then it was time to settle down and go to sleep.  Every time I hear that song I think of that precious memory.  Sometimes it brings tears to my eyes, but they are happy tears from some very happy and sweet times together with our precious little boys.

4. Have you visited Civil War or Revolutionary War sites?

Yes, we visited Gettysburg with our young sons many years ago. There may have been some others, but that one was the most significant. My husband and our boys all really enjoyed that a lot. My husband would love to go visit some other sites if we could ever get around to planning a vacation...whenever the gas prices go back down...I hope we live to see that day sooner rather than later.

I was able to find these two photos from our trip to Gettysburg in 1983. Wow, that was a LONG time ago!  I can't tell you what these two particular monuments are...maybe some of you know.  But this was a very special vacation we took with our kids.

John and our boys, Scott, Benton, Matthew at Gettysburg 1983

Matthew at Gettysburg, 1983

Update:  I believe this was The Gettysburg Address monument and that is Abraham Lincoln way up above, and I believe Matthew was reciting as much of the Gettysburg address as any 10 year old boy could do. 

And with that I will close this Tuesday 4 post on Memories.  I have enjoyed this little walk down memory lane. I hope you have too...and I hope it has stirred up some pleasant memories for you as well. If so, please share them over at Tuesday 4-Memorials.  Have a blessed and happy day!