heirlooms

Today my cousin Kelly came to work on my wedding dress.

She fixed the underskirt …

… that was a few inches too long, for some reason.

And she helped me feel connected

to family,

to the bigger story

of my imminent wedding and marriage.

 

I didn’t notice until cropping pictures for this post:

behind my dress

on the shelves in my future in-laws’ basement

are pictures of brides,

couples on their wedding days.

I belong here.

 

Yesterday Kelly said she kept seeing an image of me

upstairs in our Grandmother’s house,

sorting things.

 

I forgot to tell her about the song I’ll be singing

in church on December 19th:

HEIRLOOMS

(Bob Farrell, Brown Bannister, Amy Grant)

Up in the attic, down on my knees
Lifetimes of boxes, timeless to me
Letters and photographs yellowed with years
Some bringing laughter, some bringing tears

Time never changes the memories, the faces
Of loved ones, who bring to me
All that I come from
And all that I live for
And all that I'm going to be
My precious family
Is more than an heirloom to me

Wiseman and shepherds down on their knees
Bringing their treasures to lay at his feet
Who was this wonder baby yet king?
Living and dying, He gave life to me

Time never changes the memory
the moment His love first pierced through me
Telling all that I come from
And all that I live for
And all that I'm going to be
My precious savior
Is more than an heirloom to me

My precious Jesus Is more than an heirloom to me