"What Makes A Memory?"

Written by R. E. Bailes

What Makes A Memory

When I think about memories and how they are made, I believe that we all have someone in mind that made the most impact on our life and that person is the one whom we have chosen for a lifetime friend. It may be a father, mother, uncle, aunt, teacher or a childhood friend who stuck beside you through thick and thin.

There's something very special about that person that created those memories not only for yourself but, as you may have found, for most everyone they had known in their life. Usually this person was not one to fit the pattern of society or to even try to follow the the examples of their peers. These very special memory makers were more like pioneers in their own time. They cut the paths through their forests; carving out a new level of expectation for others but even more so for themselves!

They were not afraid to stand and say what they were thinking. They believed in what they did and did it with all of their might! They sacrificed the luxuries of higher rank, higher pay and secluded vacations for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people with whom they worked, played and worshipped. They would rather organize a function and spend their weekends setting up and taking down equipment, all for the good of those people. The events all ended and the people all went home but the meaningful memories would last a lifetime!

Just how important are these memories and what good is it to remember the past?

I have an uncle who was one of those people! His life had such an impact on the lives of many young people over the years and he had, as a coach, challenged all youth to do a little better at everything that they did in their lives! His challenges had stayed with me over the years and his example of stretching himself to go the extra mile, work the extra hours or take on the extra stress to make things happen for those who enjoyed his community activities and events in the small town of Dunbar, West Virginia. The rest of the world may have not had any interest in what was going on in this small town nestled up in those mountains, but the people who lived there knew him and their lives were definitely touched by his life as coach, recreation director and his role in the town's annual festivities. He built new facilities and made a real difference in the lives of the youth for about thirty years.

One of those young men that he had impressed to live a life of value and excellence was a guy named Ricky. Ricky had been challenged to go the extra mile, work the extra hours and take the extra stress of life upon himself as he played the position of quarterback for the Dunbar Bulldogs and joining the wrestling team in his last year of high school, he wrestled his way to third place in the entire USA and went on to gain a scholarship at Marshall University his freshman and sophmore years. Ricky had done more in his first twenty years than some people do their entire lives!

Ricky was an awesome young man and I knew him like my own brother. Little did I know the last time I saw him just how much his life would impact the lives of thousands of lives in this community! Everyone loved him and he was one of the most caring and giving people that I have ever met. That is what makes it so hard to understand the events that followed his sophmore year at Marshall.

One night while Ricky was riding the back roads to his house in a blinding fog, he ran off of the edge of the road and lost control of his motorcycle. As his wheel slid on the wet muddy surface he was thrown off of his bike and rolling across the ground, he struck a rock that severed his spine at the base of his helmet and instantly took his life. I couldn't believe that this had really happened until I saw him myself. Even more unbelieveable than his death was the actual impact of his life. I remember my uncle telling me that he had no idea just how much Ricky had done for the people he had known. You see, Ricky was my uncle's middle son!

I had always been proud to have been named after an uncle who had made such a difference in the lives of all he knew! Yes, his name is Robert E. Bailes and everyone knew him as Bob Bailes. The day that my cousin Ricky was buried my Uncle Bob was the proudest one there and amazed at the stories that each person brought about his son and the positive impact he had on their lives. There were so many people at that funeral that I remember looking from on top of the mountain where he was buried down to the building where the funeral was held and seeing cars bumper to bumper for several miles all the way up to where we were standing by the grave! As I looked at the row of cars solid winding their way down the mountain and through the neighborhood to the building, I knew Ricky Bailes had left us all with a memory of someone who have given his all for others!

There was another who did this as well and who also told us to remember him for the things that he had done. His life had been given for the good of all who ever lived! His blood would be shed for a new contract that would give us life anew and forgiveness. His love was unconditional!

He too went the extra miles, spent the extra hours, taking on the extra stress of life on himself and giving up the luxuries of this life so that all who came to know Him would receive life everlasting! Yes, there are those who leave us with memories that will impact us forever and Jesus was one who did just that! Jesus asks us to remember this shortly before his death at the Lord's supper.

ICorinthians 11:24-26 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

Not only do those wonderful people leave us so many great memories, but they also leave us with a challenge! They leave us with a challenge to live out the values that we have learned from their lives! They challenge us to live life fuller and with more meaningful and with purpose! We cannot neglect the challenge as their life has already proven it's power and meaning even after their life has ended.

Jesus gave us this challenge as well!

1Corinthians 11:27-29 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

Worthy is the Lord and those who receive His forgiveness and who forgive others of their offences. I love this passage in Revelations where it is prophecied that all of the angels will say this.

Revelation 5:12,13 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Make memories today and remember the memory of Jesus, who gave His blood so that we may have life and have it more abundantly!

John 10:10,11 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.