Taken Back

Over the past year and a half or so - my son and I have found another shared love… Jimmy John's. It seems that when we have a little extra 'Father and Son' time we often find ourselves at our favorite sandwich shop. We don't do it often, but today was a special day. Today was his last do of Pre-K for the year. He still has a fun day at the park, but this was the actual 'last day' at class. So I figured it merited a special lunch.

There is a table outside that Fender likes to sit at (no matter the weather) and so we go there when we can. We go inside - he places his order (ham only… I know, I know) - I place mine - we split a sweet tea - and head out to our table. As we scarf our sandwiches and crunchy potato chips we talk about school, his friends, and all the cool cars we see drive by. But today as I looked at my son I went into flashback mode.

I transported through time almost 30 years ago to Kori and Kora's donut shop in Olney, IL where I would go with Mom and/or Dad for donuts. This older couple made delicious donuts and I remember my Dad would get coffee and my Mom would get hot tea in this cool metal cup with a lid. I of course started drinking coffee at a young age to be cool like my Dad! There was even an old cigar box behind the counter that had string in it and I would tie it onto a plastic spoon and go fishing on the floor (the most successful fishing of my life)  while my parents would 'shoot the breeze' with the other folks in the shop. I'm not sure why - but I can remember so much of that as clear as day even though I was so young. The smell in the building, the ding of the door, and the taste of those yummy donuts. Those are good memories for me. Nothing monumental or fantastic ever happened during those 'donut shop days' - but they're special to me.

I wonder if my 4 year old son will feel that way about Jimmy John's? I wonder if his little sister will follow suit or if we'll find another memory to share? But at times like these - I definitely understand what Jesus' mother must have experienced when she 'treasured up' her memories.

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19