Me and My Cube

On my desk is a picture cube. If you were born in the 70's or before you know what I am talking about. I think every home had one. You can slide those great 3X3 pictures in each of the six sides of the hollow cube. It is one of the things that I have from my childhood. It comforts me to have it close. One of the sides is busted off. It doesn't do much and it serves no practical purpose except for the check book register and old cell phone that have found a home there until I figure out what to do with them. Mostly it is just there to remind me....

There are pictures on each side. There is a picture of me and my paternal Grandma at my first birthday. A picture of me and my Aunt Kathy, another of me and my Aunt Jo with her boys, another great one of me and my cousin Darren, and one of me and my cousin with my Dad. I don't remember any of these pictures being taken. I doubt anyone else remembers either (except maybe my mom because mom's just remember things like that). I keep this cube here where I spend some part of very day...straight in my line of sight...so I can be reminded.

My favorite picture in the cube is one is of my mom and dad and me. I was no more than a month old. I know this because the time stamp on the white trim of the photo says Mar 73.
My mom is in a cool polyester suit with the a cute pixie cut. My daddy is holding me. He has a pen in his pocket. When I was little I remember he always had a pen in his shirt pocket. (Funny because Brian always has a pen in his pants pocket). My dad looks proud. My mom is smiling mostly because she is relieved to no longer be pregnant I am sure. We are posed in that awkward pose with a newborn that can't hold it's head up. I have a theory that my Aunt Jo took it. She is always getting us to take pictures. She is the family historian. The pictures to the left is her with Regan this Christmas..she said "Here take a picture of me and Regan." The the pictures in my cube we are at at my Grandma's house. I have lots of memories in that house. It smelled musty and had itchy furniture but she made great macaroni and I loved playing rock star in front of her window AC (this taught me that blowing air is glamorous) . Unfortunately I don't have any memories of this day but I have a cube.

These pictures in this cube remind me that time flies, that I was once somebodies little baby...so innocent, so sweet...all I have to do was be and I made them proud. It reminds me that I am still connected to them even when I don't see them all the time. We have history and history means something. I am not innocent and sometimes I am sweet but I still make him proud.

This cube reminds me that one time my family was small. Just me, my mom and my dad. Now that little family of three has grown to 18 people. My parents did a good job raising me and my siblings. They weren't perfect but they did good. Someday my kids will be married and have kids. I want to make sure I am doing all I can to make a good impact...one that reflects Jesus and what he values. I pray for that grace will be abounding and love will grow. I look forward to watching my kids fall in love and have children but it makes me want to be present in today...times goes fast. I know if I am faithful with little God will give me much.

This cube reminds me of a time when my Grandma is holding me and knowing me. She and I had a special relationship. She would say, "I love you kid..be good" or "Done good kid." Things are different now when I hug her and she doesn't know me. Now she says, "I know I should know you kid." I agree with her...we laugh...and we talk about when her mom might come to visit her (my grandmother is in her late eighties so this is very funny conversation.) It doesn't matter if she knows me because I know her and I know that she loves me in her heart but her brain is stuck in another time. This picture reminds me take advantage of each moment so the ones I love won't have to wonder how I felt.