Memorial Box Monday & A Giveaway!!

It’s Memorial Box Monday again!! I love them most of all the things I write about. But recently I had someone say that they usually “skip those”. I guess I need to explain, again, why exactly I do Memorial Box Monday.
Here’s the scoop: If I found out that today would be my last day to live, there is only a few things I would stress to those I love, including you my friends. The list would be short: Spending time alone with God: reading His word and time in prayer (and listening to Him speak) and have an “active” Memorial Box. There would be a few other things, but only a few, which we will leave for another day.
So exactly why is a Memorial Box such a big deal to me anyway? And what exactly is it? A Memorial Box is of utmost important in my life because over the years God has done some amazingly awesome things for me and for those I love, but quite frankly, we are a dang forgetful people. If we did not purposefully gather symbols representing the times of His faithfulness we would barely remember them!
BUT when we have set aside a place to remember His faithfulness, in difficult times, we can look and say, “This situation is awful – BUT look what God did for me/us before – I’m trusting that He will show up and get me through this painful trial!”
In the Old Testament God tells the Hebrew nation to build a Memorial of stones to remember what He had done. He goes on to say that everytime they see the stones they are to remember and tell their children the story of His faithfulness and then to tell their children’s children. (The scripture is posted at the bottom of this post.) So why did God tell His people to do that? Just for fun? No!! He did it cause He knew how forgetful they would be and that they would need to constantly tell the story over and over to remember His faithfulness
.
Interestingly enough, the kids and I are studying the life of David for our Bible study time in our homeschooling. I have read the story of David and Goliath a zillion times. BUT this time while reading it something struck me. When David tells Saul that he wants to kill the giant, David first recalls that God gave him the strength and courage to kill the bear and the lion….in essence David was looking in his “Memorial Box” and saying, “Hey, God allowed me to do this and this….He will give me the giant as well.” (I Samuel 17:36,37)
How often are their things in our lives that are “giants”? Giants like: a wayward child, struggles in relationships, immigration problems during an adoption; a job loss, an illness; a home that won’t sell; little things as well as big, all giants in one form or another in our lives. But when we are actively remembering God’s faithfulness in the past, we see that the future is under His control as well….and He is definitely working the night shift on our behalf.
Infact this past summer, when Dw was suddenly hospitalized across the country from our kids and friends I started to panic. Not just a little panic, but I was overcome by fear. Immediately God spoke to me, “Linny, what is in your Memorial Box?” and instantly the shark, the rooster, the mountain lion, the check, the heart monitor lead, and so on….and I felt peace. Yes, God was reminding me that He had come through for me in all those circumstances, He was not about to leave me high and dry in Iowa City, Iowa.
Our new Memorial Box has yet to be hung. Since the fire we had to look for a new one and here it is. We have to hang it and start to fill it again with the stories from our past of God’s complete faithfulness.

The symbols we put in are something that represents the story of God’s faithfulness. For instance, when I was struck by a shark in the Atlantic Ocean (and lived to tell about it!) we put a little plastic shark in it. When we asked God to miraculously provide a pool, we put a rubber duck in it to remind us of His supernatural provision. When we took our RV trip, our friends Rett and Tony sent us a Matchbox RV to remind us of God’s grace (over our complete stupidity – they didn’t say that, but we knew they were thinkin’ it! Love you guys!). =)

Anyway, I pray that you will embrace a Memorial Box in your life, whether single or married, young or old (like me!). It doesn’t have to be an actual box, but I am kind of a box nut (I stinkin’ love boxes!!) It can be a shelf or just a corner of a shelf. Whatever! Just a place where you put things that remind you of all the stories of God’s faithfulness in your life.
So here’s the deal. To encourage you guys to have a Memorial Box I have one to giveaway (I found it on our RV trip). I will give it away later this week. So what do you have to do to enter the giveaway? Last time I had each of you who wanted to enter, post a story. This time I thought we could change things up a little. The only thing you have to do is be a follower. I will randomly pick from that list on the sidebar. If you already are one, then you are all set. If you aren’t a follower, become one – – it’s that easy!!
Are you currently doing a Memorial Box? Are you ready to start one? I pray so!! It is one of the most important things in my life.
My sweet bloggy friend, Sharon, did her first Memorial Box Monday post!! Yippee Jesus!! Go ahead, check her first post out!! Way to go girlfriend!!
There is also a Memorial Box Monday button on my right sidebar.
Feel free to copy it and put it on your site.
Joshua 4: When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day………. On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”

41 thoughts on “Memorial Box Monday & A Giveaway!!

  1. My bloggy friend…thank you for this! Two of the BIG things you mentioned above that might make us worry are what we are experiencing right now which is adoption problems with Uganda and then I am more than likely on my last week at my job because we got bought out…i needed this…in fact I am going to set my alarm on my phone to remind me tonight while i'm at home to start my memorial box and pray that God would help remind me of all the times He's came through, been faithful and did miracles for us…THANKS FRIEND!

  2. Thank you for the reminder that we need to "teach" our children by reminding them of God's faithfulness. Your memory box is a wonderful visual reminder of God's blessings and faithfulness to us in all situations! God is always good!

  3. Linny, I have been unofficially following your blog for well over a year, but just now became "official". 🙂 You have blessed and encouraged me and my family more times than you know. Because of your encouragement, we finally began our own Memorial Box last fall (after sitting on the idea for too many years). It has been a joy to add to it and recount God's faithfulness to us.
    Your sister in Christ,

    Jocelyn

  4. I love your memorial box posts and the whole idea. Thank you so much for them and for what they are doing in my life- and for our family. I would love to have this "visual" in our home and in our hearts. thank you so much for this opportunity Linny. God Bless You.

  5. Linny,
    I'm newer to your blog and want to thank you for explaining Memorial Box Monday. What a super neat idea! I love it!

    We have a glass jar that we put slips of paper in all year long with God-moments on them and then as a family read them on New Year's Day to remember all He has done in us, through us and for us in the past year.

  6. I'm so excited about your next giveaway! (pick me! pick me! pick me! j/k…..well, sorta! *smile*)

    Anyway, last year I started writing out a list of stories for my memorial box (& the symbols I would use.) So I'm on my way!!

    ♥ you guys!

  7. I've always enjoyed reading your memorial box Mondays. We have ours, I just haven't posted a memorial box Monday yet. I need to get cracking and start. I love your new memorial box.

    I also need to say that these memorial box Mondays are always so inspiring and really help to build my faith. Thank you for doing them. Hugs and love

  8. I have to say that your Memorial Box posts are actually my favorite posts! I look forward to them and am excited when I see a new one. Thank you so much for sharing them with us! Charissa

  9. Just wanted to thank you again for your post on fear several weeks ago. I used your words as my inspiration in overcoming my fear of flying and had a wonderful visit with my best friend this past weekend.

    You are right! We have the choice to trust in the Lord to free us from fear! Your words were very inspiring. Once the Lord gave me the grace to make that mental and spiritual shift, I was able to get on that plane and actually have an enjoyable flight! Thank you for helping me to reclaim my freedom!!!
    Love,
    Lorraine

  10. Ooooo, I'm excited. I really hope you randomly pick me, ha ha!! After reading your post, I've decided that I really need to do what I keep saying I'm going to do, and that is get a box for all of my memorials. I love this idea and have told so many others about it. Now I just need to do it!
    Thank you for the encouragement. Now I need to go and pray and ask God to remind me of all of His wonderful miracles in our lives.
    Lots of love to you,
    jenn

  11. I enjoy your memorial box posts. Remembering is really good for faith and telling our stories is good for both our faith and other people's faith. Thanks for telling yours.

  12. I love your Memorial Box posts, and I remember them when my faith needs a little extra boost! Reading your stories gives me a tangible way to see just how awesome God is. So, keep them coming!

    ~Amy

    P.S. – I commented a while back about my brother (who is a cocaine addict) and how I was praying for God's redemption in his life. He is now in California in rehab, which is an answer to pray! It's such a cool story. I saw God move in so many ways to get him there. Seriously, after reading your blog for the past year I've really come to realize that there is no such thing as "chance" or "luck" and I have been able to see that it is God. I was able to go back and look at the very dramatic events leading up to him going to rehab and see God's hand in it all.

  13. Did you say you were giving away a Memorial Box that you found ON YOUR RV TRIP? See there, the RV trip wasn't all foolishness, there was a much GREATER purpose to your trip . . . a Memorial Box! I just knew it!

    So, so very happy with my Memorial Box! Thank you again friend! I need to get back on the MB Monday posts . . . have two swirling in my head, working on pictures . . . must write . . . must write . . .

    He is so very faithful!

    Love your new Memorial Box!

    Tina ~ xo

  14. I love the Memorial box idea and have been praying for the Lord to help me find one since we Georgia's adoption and open heart surgery. Doug and I have talked about it and agree that creating stones of rememberance is one of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves and our kids…also, what an awesome conversation piece when people are over!!!!! I have what feels like a zillion stories for it!!!!! I think I should just start writing them out and trust that I will find a box at the right time! Thanks for this awesome idea!!!!

  15. Well, Linny…I am inspired. We do NOT have a Memorial Box but I am wondering if The Glen NEEDS one. HOW SOON I FORGET…and I truly HATE that…as I want to be constantly reminded of the DAILY miracles God performs in my life and the lives of my family.

  16. I always love your Memorial Box posts. We started a Memorial Box about 15 years ago (I think).

    I am doing a set of posts this week on the Miracles that God has done for our family. While we are in the midst of a very difficult crisis, it is good to remind myself that the Lord has pulled us through many more difficult crisis in the past.

    mama of 13

  17. Love it! You know I'm hooked on Memorial Boxes when a friend posts a story on her blog and she mentioned she kept a memento. I immediately asked her if she was going to put that in her Memorial Box! She hadn't thought of that! YAY!

    Glad the RV has a home in your box! To us, it signifies grace…and friendship!

    I'm already a follower, YAY!

    Love you, friend. Been thinking lots about you!

  18. i have been wanting to start a memorial box for some time…..well, since the last time you gave one (or ten?!) away. i think about it all the time and there is this little shop calling me in. i think i'll find my memorial box in there. so, that's my goal for the week. sit down w/ my husband and write down the things that we can include already, then find our memorial box! (i've been blogging for a couple years, but have NEVER followed anyone. you're my first follow now! if i happen to win, i'll post about this & give it away!!)

  19. I am seriously needing to get a Memorial Box for Redeemer House Orphanage in Uganda. God has done great things for us. One thing after another. Now . . . we face a challenge where I know God will come through – and when He does, it will be part of the story of Redeemer House, of how our God showed Himself strong on behalf of the orphans of Uganda, for the glory of His Name. I'm gonna be looking for a Ugandan Memorial Box when I'm there!

  20. Started a variation on the theme of a Memorial box ;), a box with tiny slips of paper celebrating what God's done. Love the idea of visual reminders; maybe one day I'll find little items or make a collage to line up with the papers, but for now the papers are helping me to remember.

  21. I already have a Memorial box, and yes, I already follow your blog. But I do hope I win again, since my 10 year old god-daughter has started her own Memorial box, and it would be nice to give it to her. right now she is using a show box. She would just be tickled PINK….

  22. I have been following your blog for a while and have just now become "official" because you enticed me with this giveaway 🙂 A beautiful box!!

    God used your blog to "speak" to us about adopting another. . we have 3 bio. kids, 1 from Guatemala, and just started the process for an older boy from Ethiopia.

    Thanks for your boldness and the time you give your blog.

    Su

  23. Could I be put in the drawing for the memorial box give a-way? I've been keeping my eye out for one as I really believe remebering God's faithfulness is what gives us hope for the future. Thanks for all your funny stories, and your heart filled ones too. Some how the laughter is so healing and helps us not to get so serious. We are just beginning this road of adoption and have just begun a Blog. We are adding 4 beautiful Ethiopian children to our now 7 children. Blogs like yours has been a great encouragement to me and I want encourage others too:) Thanks Cindy

  24. Okay, Linny, I've been wanting to start a Memorial Box. So, here's my effort. If I win, then I have to, right?

    And, tomorrow, Caleb leaves home…he will go to MEPS, we will see him tomorrow night, and Wednesday, he leaves for Chicago and Basic Training. My heart hurts.

    Tomorrow, we'll eat out together in Jax, Florida. I think that will be a good time to bring up the beginning of a Memorial Box, and begin a discussion of all that God has done for us.

    I need prayer, my dear sister!!!
    Robbie

  25. My goal is to start keeping a memorial box. I forgot about this, I remember studying about the memorial stones from the Jordan. I want to build memorials for my children. My parents were good to tell me what God has done for them, but I think writing it down and even finding items is a fantastic idea. Thank you for inviting us to see and share.

  26. Hi! Just found your blog through Robbie at Blessed Mom of Four, now Five.

    I've never thought of a memorial box, but now that you've got me thinking of it, I like the idea.

    I think that God is trying to tell me something. In a book I've been reading (Sheila Walsh, "Get off your knees and Pray") she suggested today that people have a gratitude journal – separate from a prayer journal. In my bible study, there was a similar suggestion. And now this…I'm thinking I should read the handwriting on the wall.

    Thank you!

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