07/11/09

My word picture for this week is "Nostalgic"... here is the definition:

"a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time"

I am a very nostalgic person. Most of you know I "live in the past" in a lot of ways, it seems. Now, I am very thankful for the present and know Who holds my future, but the past is where my mind seems to drift often. Whether it is the immediate past, childhood past, or even the past where I was not even born, that is to what I am "attracted". I love old things... and the older I get, the more precious they become to me.'

Having said all of that, my take on nostalgic was done even before I picked the word... no fair, huh? It was in the recent... very recent past these pictures were taken, just not this exact week... it was last week. lol I was thinking ahead as I was being nostalgic!

Anytime I see something old, I gravitate to it and want to photograph it. There have been so many things along the way that have caught my eye as I was driving or riding somewhere. I truly wish I had a lot of time to venture out and photograph all of those things without the "time" factor.

This old car is my nostalgic picture of the week. It belongs to a friend of our family and as soon as I saw it, I knew... I just knew it needed to be remembered in the shape it was in. It isn't perfect, it has bumps, scrapes and a lot of rust. It even had pine straw all over it from where it had been sitting for so long. However, to me, these added things from time show character. This is what LIFE is all about. I am reminded so often that life gives us bumps, scrapes..... and sometimes we gather rust... but through the process of learning and growing, God gives us character and a look that we never would have had if we had stayed in our "pristine" condition. I will be the first to admit that while I see how much I myself have changed over time, I wouldn't want to go back to where I once was.... I am thankful for the person I am becoming through the Lord's testings, trials, joys and triumphs. Those bumps, scrapes and rust in my life are evidence of a Master's Touch.


I realize most people want to see a car like this restored to its former glory, and I am all for that. I just know that for myself that is not reality yet in my life. One day I will be restored to a NEW glory when I reach Heaven's gate and see my Master, Lord, Teacher, and Friend who has His own scars that were for me.

Ecclesiastes 3:19-26
Remember mine affliction and misery, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness).
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.