I walked into a Vintage Christmas Tea celebration and it felt as if I had walked into a beautiful, quaint, winter celebration from the past. Each table was decorated differently; ice skates from the 30’s, Christmas trees decorated but “planted” in galvanized buckets, metal toys, wood toys and tables lit by candlelight….the list goes on.

Have you ever seen something from the past that made you reminiscent of your childhood? Or something that is totally new to you, you have never seen before from the past? And you thought, “What was that even used for?” Or have you seen something from the past and thought, “I would really like to have that but I haven’t the money or the know to make that happen in my home.”

Things that are vintage usually involve things from the past that have been hidden, packed away and
forgotten. Vintage things have typically been well used or well loved in the past. They are worth saving
and valued; perhaps not monetarily but valued in the heart.

A vintage atmosphere can throw one into remembering something with warm thoughts, grateful
thoughts and a full heart. It throws on back into another space of time or existence. There is a feeling of
a calm, solid, trustworthy place; a soft, safe place. A place that feels opposite of this fast paced, frenzied
world we presently find ourselves.

VINTAGE makes me think of the words: REDISCOVER, DISCOVER and REMEMBER
Let me ask you a question, “Which category would God fit into your mind right now? Do you long to
discover God? Or do you know Him and have tasted of His goodness in the past but you have distanced
yourself and your heart longs to rediscover Him? Or perhaps you simply need to hold on tight as you
remember who He is and what He has done in the past, in order to have courage to trust Him today in
life’s difficult circumstances.

The word remember is found over 137 times in the Bible. God’s Word urges us to remember God, to
remember what He has done in the past, to remember His handiwork, to remember who He is, to
remember His name, to remember who we are to Him.

When my husband and I were engaged, we lived 1200 miles apart. It was the day before cell phones,
facebook and email. We hand wrote letters to each other, put them in envelopes, put a stamp on them
and mailed them to each other in order to communicate. “Long distance” phone calls were a rare treat
as they were expensive. I would keep his letters and read them over and over again. They reminded me
of who he was, his character, his heart toward me and his love and commitment to me. I reread his
letters especially when I was lonely, feeling sad or anticipating our future together. God’s Word is very
similar. It is God’s love letter to me, reminding me who He is, His character, His love and commitment
toward me. I read it over and over again to be reminded of who my God is and His heart toward me.
This life can be hard, lonely, and scary. Psalm 119:55 says, “In the night, I remember your name, Oh
Lord.” When I read night in the Bible it makes me think of scary times of life: a terrible diagnosis from a
doctor, your spouse walks out, you feel like walking out, your pediatrician says you need to go to
specialist, finances come crashing down. Night is scary, one hears scary things and then the imagination
begins to takes off and we start to fear things that do not even exist. We need to get oriented in the
truth. God’s Word is truth, the lamp to my feet, the flashlight in the dark.

God’s word says when it’s scary, remember me. Remember my name, my character.
Where do you find yourself with God in the middle of this Christmas celebration that can be so fast
paced and full of frenzy? Is your heart longing to discover this God that so many seem to be
‘celebrating’, including yourself? Is your heart recognizing how you have distanced yourself from your
Jesus? Is your spirit longing to rediscover Him? Or is life very scary right now and you need to pick up
God’s Word to help you remember who He is?

I left this Vintage Christmas celebration challenged not to let God become vintage in my life. He is too
valuable to hide away or forget about in this fast paced world and in the midst of this Christmas Holiday
season. He, my Father wants me to remember Him in this frenzied, fast paced world. He not only wants
me to remember Him but call out to Him and let Him hold my hand in the dark and scary places of this
life, until one day I will see Him face to face and live for eternity.