Nov 20th, 2020: Memories of Life

I arrived in Montreal in the early evening yesterday. The whole province is in a locked-down mode so there is very little to do. I cannot even visit my sisters and their families. So I decided to drive to the neighbourhood where my parents opened their restaurant more than 40 years ago. It certainly brought back a lot of memories. The whole area has been gentrified in recent years so the building where the restaurant used to be has been modernized quite a bit. My thoughts were certainly about my parents when walked through the area.

Life is a gift even though it can be so hard at times. My parents approached their first few years in Canada that way. It was not easy but they never gave up on life. They were able to work with one another well. Culturally, my father was the one that made decisions for the family. In reality, my mother had a lot more influence than many knew.

Life begins with every day when we wake up. There is no need to talk about yesterday without having the intention to plan for the future. But we cannot plan for tomorrow without a deep appreciation for how God has been with us since the beginning of time. My parents were like that. They didn't live in the past and forgot how to embrace the future. They didn't run too fast into the future without reflecting on His faithfulness in the past.

Life never ends. During my walk in that neighbourhood, I could hear both of them in my head. My life experience with my parents will continue in my memories in many ways. Our life in the context of our relationship with God will never end. Sometimes God will tell us about His plan for our lives. Sometimes He just challenges us about our plan for them. 

Psalm 77:11-14 “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.”

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