The photo I’m using today was taken about a year ago. Paul and I knew that time was running out and we would spend this last year doing things together as much as possible. We made a habit of taking little road trips to beautiful county parks that weren’t far from home. It was just enough to hang on to as a perfect memory of a treasured time. So, we stopped at one of those parks, got out and had a picnic together. We enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine. The quiet away from the noise of the city was impenetrable. Only the sound of a bird or two – maybe a frog croaking noisily in the distance or some insects sending out signals to their cohorts. Paul picked up the cap of an acorn and placed it on his finger and it made me smile. It’s the little things.

Many years ago, our oldest daughter remembers a time when we were going through a rough patch. We’d just purchased our first home. We had two little mouths to feed, and income wasn’t sufficient to cover all our needs, so Paul took an extra job as a night security guard. Armed with a flashlight as his only defense, he would patrol the building fearlessly. When he came home later that night, he’d greet me at the door and then make a beeline to the children’s room to kiss them goodnight. Our daughter recalls him placing a half a stick of gum under her pillow. He kissed her on the forehead and tucked her tightly into her covers. Our son got the other half. It’s the little things.

Our lives are made up of many little things that tug at the heart and leave an indelible impression. All those memories are designed to bring us comfort as we grow older. They fill our minds with thoughts of different times and different places. When we look at these little things as blessings, we can draw on them when troubles come our way. We can see how God was with us through the good times as well as the bad. We can shed a tear as we remember and lighten the weight of all the other tears yet to come. It’s the little things.

Life is complex and complicated at times, but when we place our thoughts and feelings on what God has planned for us today and in the future, we can draw on those little memories as a cushion to get us through the muck. Many times, we have to search hard for those moments of nostalgia, but God provides for that too. He did the biggest thing for the human soul that could possibly be done by any of us. He gave His life, so we could inherit His holy kingdom. He overcame the world, the devil and our sinful flesh so that we could live too. That’s no little thing!