Monday, May 21, 2012

Memory Loss: The Good

"Give, and forget. Receive, and remember."
~ Unknown


In the last year or two, memory loss has begun to plague me. Connecting names and faces has always been an embarrassing weakness of mine, and it's becoming worse. Lists have become necessary to normal functioning—but not everything can be put on a list. Without the calendar and audible alerts on my iPod, I'd probably forget to leave the house at all.

Perhaps I've practiced forgetfulness for too long. I've worked diligently to erase from memory the sins of youth that the precious blood of God's Son has covered. The Lord has necessarily blessed me with an unusual capacity for forgiveness, and that gift also comes with the practice of not remembering. And I'm inclined to believe this: intentionally cultivating a grateful heart for God's many blessings makes one inclined to forget things clothed as a curse.

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: "For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house."
~ Genesis 41:51 (NKJV)

If Joseph could forget at age thirty, there's probably little hope for me as I turn fifty. A primary cause of memory loss is medication side effects, but I don't take any and therefore have none to forfeit. Vitamins might help. But, of course, I forget to take them.

My only solution is prayer, with reliance on God to keep me on track. If the Lord allows my memory loss for no other reason, I'm willing to call it good.

Lord, please help me this day, and every day, to remember the most important things: You, Your Word, Your people. Please let me not forget anything You will me to do. Please give me peace about the rest. Please give this prayer to anyone else who needs it. Thank You. I love You.

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Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

16 comments:

  1. It's probably not helping that I keep choosing books that involve memory loss and Alheimer's in them.

    Hope all is well w/ you, Anne.
    ~ Wendy

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    1. LOL, Wendy! I am well. I'm even learning to slow down a bit. Sometimes. And I hope you are well—VERY well—yourself! ♥

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  2. Yeah, my memory is not the best, but sometimes that is a good thing :)

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    1. I do not think, TC, that the epitaph on any grave said, "He had a good memory." May it be said of us, "Loved Well."

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  3. before my wife left me home alone for ten days she left me a "honey do" list a mile long that covered both sides of the paper. she's only been gone 3 days now and there's no end in sight in regard to gittin` it done. am really concerned about my memory loss since it's a bit heavier on the short term side then what i think it should be. read not too long ago that a teaspoon of cinnamon once a week helps. i love cinnamon buns! in the same boat as Wendy with the fear of Alzheimer's resting on my shoulders. Anne, this post of yours is another one of those "as it should be." but not as it is on this end of it. thank you for that needed prayer on end too. i'm takin` you up on your offering of it. guess this will join the others in my filing cabinet for the back forty.

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    1. I'm pleased, Bud, to offer prayer on your behalf. A teaspon of cinnamon you say? I'll make it a point to indulge the very next time I spot some cinnamon-laced rolls. :D

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  4. This is a great insight into memory. I, too, have my challenges in remembering names and faces (nice to know I'm not alone).

    One thing I do is create a "win" folder of encouragement and positive signs along the way. I do this because, in times of stress and uncertainty, I have a tendency to forget how far God's brought me.

    Stay strong!

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    1. I suppose, Scott, that blogging has become my Win Folder. I look back on old posts and am amazed at how much God has shown me that I already need to learn again.

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  5. I am noticing increased forgetfulness, too. I just hit the big 4-0. :) ... I have had to employ more lists, apps, alerts, etc., as well. I even installed an iPhone prayer app on my phone because I was forgetting to pray for people, even though I had said I would pray. Lovin' that app.

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    1. A prayer app, Jennifer? For a fraction of a second, I thought it would be nice if the app even did the praying for me. NEVER! May the burden of prayer always remain a privilege to be savored.

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  6. Dearest Anne,

    Though you probably don't see it, anyone who knows you knows how many balls you keep up in the air at any one time. Methinks memory loss is just a natural side effect of a full, blessed life. But I know it can be a burden, too--because I've experienced it as well from time to time. Words sometimes escape me, of all things. I can feel it there, floating around in my brain, the perfect word. I can feel the shape of it on my tongue and hear its sound. But it's gone, gone, gone. And my poor hubby--not a wordsmith--is of little help, bless him. ;-)

    It's comforting to know that whatever WE forget, God never forgets US. In fact, we are written on the palms of His Son's hand! What great comfort in the busy season of a wife and mother.

    May God bless you deeply this week.

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    1. How I miss you, Gwen! Your words, I feel the shape of them in even your comment. You are such a breath of fresh air for me!

      Must.
      Drive.
      South.
      SOON.

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  7. I'm sure that overall your memory is more ok than not. You're not putting milk in the dryer or anything like that right? We all forget where we just put our keys (probably in our pocket), what we came into the room for (we actually need to leave the room to remember), and the appt that we remembered all week long until the day it comes. And we can never forget the famous, "I can't remember the name of that lady at church who I have been in fellowship with for the last three years, even though I have been told her name by my husband (if he can remember), at least 20 times (Is it Laura or Lori?)." Sigh.... Yes! Thank you Lord that you never forget a thing! Help me to remember what is important too!

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    1. Mary, you're very kind in how you describe my memory. Yeah, I forget all the little stuff. It bothers me to increasingly forget the big stuff. I think I'd be more comfortable with memory loss if I at least remembered all the lessons the Lord teaches me, and didn't have to keep re-learning them. : (

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  8. Replies
    1. Denise, you are WAY too good to me! I love you for it.

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