Flashback Friday

Click on picture for bigger view. This picture was taken at the beach in "1979". This my friends, is 30 years ago. Where has the time gone? The boys were 9 years old and we spent our days at the beach, since it is just down the cliffs from our house. The boys would be starting the 4th grade in the fall. (By the way, this picture was scanned into my computer and I haven't figured out how to manipulate size yet) As I remember, money was tight back then as I was a stay at home mom and hadn't started working in a stained glass shop yet. We had one car, a truck for Corky to go to work. We had been living here for 3 years. This June will mark the 33rd year here. The boys slept out in the backyard under the pine tree often in a make-shift tent and the dogs and cats kept watch all night long. Many sleepovers on the weekends with their friends here too. They spent hours upon hours on their bikes exploring the open spaces up here on the bluffs before all of the development took over. Year by year, lot by lot, their territory shrunk, but they had these years to adventure and I am so grateful for the "open spaces". Thirty three years has changed most of the area up here as beach houses are bought up, torn down, and huge houses replacing them have sprung up everywhere. Our house has remained a beach house as many others on the block have too. It is amazing to think that Corky and I were 27 years old when we moved in here. Now we are grandparents watching our precious grandkids play in the same yards and occupying the same bedroom their father and uncle did.

Thirty three years has gone by so fast. It seems like it was just yesterday. So much has changed yet so much has remained the same if this makes sense. This rented house holds our lifetime of memories except for the first 8 years of our marriage. If these walls could talk! They do talk to me these days as I look back. We have grown up together here and are still growing together in love through the fire and the good times. Through it all I am so grateful and blessed to be who I am today. When I look at that picture above, I realize I did not like myself as was the case for so many years. I ask myself why now, and I realize I compared myself to others and never measured up in my mind. Such a waste of time and talent. The Lord has showed me over the years that He wants me to love me for who He made me to be. That's a tough job but I have been learning to let go and let Him show me who I am and I can live with me:) Still working at it and learning after all these years. If I could offer up one word of advice to my younger sisters here, it would be to love yourself as God has made you, and don't compare yourself to others. It truly is such a waste of precious time. Time we can't get back this side of heaven. I love who each and everyone of you are, as much as I have gotten to know you, and I love you each just as God made you to be. No matter our ages, we are all sisters in the Lord who loves us. I feel like a big sister to so many of you too.

Have a wonderful Friday and leave me a flashback in the comments of something you remember and want to share. You know I love comments. They make my day SMILE:)

Love and Hugs, Laurie