A Bin Filled With Toys

I like attics.
I like the idea of them.
I always wish that I could go into the attic of an old house and spend the afternoon.
After spending the afternoon, I wish for one more thing.

I wish that I would be able to choose one thing to take with me.
I would spend all afternoon contemplating what that one thing might be.
It is just a wish.
In the meantime, my attic will have to do.

My attic is simply for storage.
My attic access has pull down stairs and is located in a large closet in the upstairs hallway.
My attic has some luggage, empty boxes for gift wrapping, and Christmas decorations.
We actually bought industrial shelves for our basement and moved many things there.

We have streamlined our attic.
It is not always easy to bring larger things up or down the pull down stairs.
I went up to the attic for a reason.
I noticed a bin the last time I was up there.

I climbed up the stairs and immediately saw the bin I wanted.
I opened it.
A flood of memories came pouring out.
It was filled with baby toys.

I fingered some things.
I pulled out other things.
I brought the bin down the pull down stairs.
I carried it into the kitchen.

There in that bin were all the things my children played with when they were babies.
Everything was in great shape.
There were rattles and stacking toys.
There were toys that I remember holding just out of their reach so they would crawl to get them.

I remembered which toys were favorites of each child.
I remembered the wicker basket where all of these toys were kept, which was now long gone.
The basket could be purchased again.
The toys have stood the test of time.

I got a clean rag and some warm water.
I washed each toy.
There is a new generation coming soon.
There are other children who will make memories with my children’s baby toys.

After each toy was washed, I put it into the new basket that I bought.
The toys were so colorful.
All the primary colors seemed to scream, Play with me!
There is still a lot of mileage left in these toys; they are ready for new little fingers.

I placed the basket in our family room.
I got out my phone and took a picture.
I knew who would receive the picture in a text.
I knew just the words to write.

I got some toys out of the attic.
I cleaned them all up.
Look familiar?
The NEXT generation awaits…

We wait.

We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. (Psalm 78:4-7)

I love the fact that the toys my children played with as babies will be played with again.
The next generation will hold and play with toys that were played with by a generation before.
The circle continues.
A new generation of little hands will hold a bit of family history.

And my heart will sing.
The memories will be both old and new.
I can tell my grandchildren that their mother or father played with those toys, too.
They may not understand when they are little, but they will understand one day.

Passing down toys and books to the next generation, is a wonderful thing.
However, there is an even greater treasure to share.
The next generation needs to know the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.
The next generation needs to know all God has done for us.

That treasure is not something you can keep in an attic.
It is not something that can be stored away in a bin.
It is not something that can be washed and dried with a clean rag and towel.
It is something precious that is hidden in our heart and must be shared.

The next generation needs to hold God’s Word in their little hands.
The next generation needs to learn the songs that proclaim our faith.
The next generation needs to be taught how to pray.
The next generation needs to know the magnificent God who created them.

The next generation needs to know how much God loves them.
The next generation needs to know that God loves them so much He sent His Son.
The next generation needs to know about Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection.
The next generation needs the complete story so that the Gospel treasure can be passed on.

It is easy to get a bin down from the attic.
It is easy to clean up baby toys and get them ready.
It is much harder to share the legacy of faith completely to the next generation.
That kind of sharing requires us to be intentional; that kind of sharing takes time.

I cannot wait to see all of my grandchildren play with our old baby toys.
I cannot wait to read all of my grandchildren the books that were their parents’ favorites.
I cannot wait to tell my grandchildren about the Lord Jesus I love and serve.
I cannot wait to read the Bible with them and pray with them.

God equips us to continue what He has begun.
We cannot shirk our responsibility.
We have a baton of faith to pass.
The next generation is waiting.

2 responses to “A Bin Filled With Toys”

1. You are so right! Our children get so much un-Christian info from the world; we need to give them a life filled with God’s word and teach them how He wants us to live. This is the most important thing we can give them.

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   • That is the best thing we can give them, Sue, and the best thing we can teach them.
     Blessings,
     Gina

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