i've been looking at pictures. It started with pictures of hannah for wedding projects, but at some point the children pulled out my old albums.  Blowing the dust off, they are alternately amused and aghast as they browse through my awkward adolescence, one photograph at a time. 

i remember a quote from a famous photographer, "A good snapshot stops a moment from running away."  They do that, don't they?  Moments...running away?  The older we get, the faster they run!  To be able to hang on to a few such moments, to preserve a glimpse of history, is more than an art form.  It is a treasure.

Well, usually.  Sometimes there's a picture included that makes me cringe.  i tell the kids, "i actually thought i looked awesome in that outfit!" And my hair?  We were discussing the era of bad perms today.  i'm probably dating myself, but i was at least in my early 20's before i gave up the dream of having hair like Cher.  i wish someone had loved me enough to urge me to let it go...

Fortunately, those snapshots are placed securely in their place on pages of my life.  While each picture captures a moment in time (sometimes to my chagrin), the real power of the picture is discovered as it is enjoyed in context, together with other snapshots from days, months and years on either side of the occasion.  They tell the story of a journey. 

If a snapshot falls out, it's like a piece of the puzzle is missing (which is why i have to somehow get all the pictures of hannah that i've removed for this wedding back into their rightful places!).  If it is not found, something crucial is mising.  Without each moment, the story is incomplete. 

On the other hand, setting a photograph on its own -- lifting it off the page to set solo on the mantel --- may lead to conclusions that are flawed, or at the very least, biased. That single pose is only one memory from a lifetime of moments, experiences, relationships and occasions. How grateful am i that my mother does not display a snapshot that captures the year of my teenage rebellion on her mantel?

Here's what's awesome about God.  "All things work together for good..."  All things.  Every single thing.  Every moment.  Every snapshot.  Every mistake, every dumb idea, every sorry decision.  God works them together for good.  It is a journey....and every single snapshot is important.  Every photo in the album that illustrates my life contributes something to the story of my journey with God. 

This is not a new thought for me.  It is one that has resonated for quite some time.  i'm just reminded today.  Every photo is important.  But it's import is discovered in the context of the whole album.  Any one picture, lifted out of context, does not represent the whole story.  There's always another snapshot, and another page.  And with every turn of the page, my deep desire is that my "likeness" is more and more conformed to Christ (Rom. 8:29).  That, in light of eternity, would be "good".

At least my hair looks better.....one can always hope.