Do you remember?

I remember.

Do you remember?

Do you remember when you used to sit in those small, wooden chairs at the half-circle tables for Sunday school?  Do you remember coloring pictures of Jesus as your teachers read the story?  Do you remember your teachers sneaking you snacks even though you already had two doughnuts during coffee hour?

Do you remember the first time you had to memorize a Bible verse?  Do you remember that verse still?  Do you remember when your friend discovered John 11:35 and realized that two words equaled an entire verse?

Do you remember kids’ choir?  Do you remember practicing the same songs every week for an entire year?  Do you remember forgetting those words as soon as you took the steps in the front of the sanctuary?  Do you remember singing as loud as you could anyway?

Do you remember church camp?  Do you remember how scared you were when your parents dropped you off?  Do you remember wearing the same pair of shorts the entire week?  Do you remember the first time you worshipped in your swimming suit?  Do you remember how fun they made studying the Bible?

Do you remember Youth Sunday?  Do you remember rushing through the unison prayer of confession so quickly that no one else in the congregation could keep up with you?  Do you remember how they all told you that you did a great job anyways?  Do you remember wondering if this was something you could do again?

Do you remember the first funeral you attended?  Do you remember the visitation?   Do you remember the flowers?  Do you remember the reception?  Do you remember all the cards and meals and the phone calls from everyone showing their love?

Do you remember your youth group leaders?  Do you remember how they genuinely cared about you and what you did?  Do you remember how they allowed you to be who you were?  Do you remember how they encouraged you to ask questions?

Do you remember the first time you participated in communion?  Do you remember the taste and the smells?  Do you remember figuring out that the pastor said the same words every time you celebrated it?  Do you remember the tiny cups?  Do you remember the sound those tiny cups make when you drop them on the tile floor?

Do you remember your baptism?  Do you remember watching others get baptized?  Do you remember God’s promise to you?  Do you remember that God claims you, calls you and loves you?  Do you remember sneaking in to splash the water when no one else was looking?

Do you remember?

I remember.  I’ll always remember.  And these are things I want to make sure my children and our children remember as well.

BRIAN CHRISTOPHER COULTER is a husband, father, pastor, author, blogger and pingpong champion who is pretty good at sidewalk chalk and currently resides in Aiken, South Carolina.