A while back, my wife and I sat down and went through our photo albums—fifteen of them, covering almost half a century. Several themes stood out.

1. Family. Of course. We have photos of our families of origin and the family we built together. The Bible says that God places the lonely in families. We are grateful for the supportive families we have had and for the opportunity to support and guide the next generation.

2. Friends. We have been blessed to have had many good friends over the years. Some we were close to for a while but have lost touch with. Some have passed away. But some are still friends, both close by and far away. They have supported and helped us in uncounted ways, and we hope that we have been a blessing to them, at least in small ways.

3. Nature. There are many pictures of the pets we have had, both cats and dogs. There are photos of horses and cows and sheep. There are photos of wild animals—eagles, seagulls, hummingbirds, geese and ducks, whales, dolphins, bison, bears, beaver, lions, tigers, snakes, lizards, moose, and many more. There are photos of mountains, trees, rivers, waterfalls, oceans, clouds, lightning strikes, northern lights, sunsets, sunrises, and rainbows. We celebrate God’s marvelous and extremely varied and beautiful creation.

4. Church. There are photos of Bible study groups, Sunday school concerts, church concerts, baptisms, weddings, and funerals. There are reminders of the many ways we have been served and the ways we have served in turn. Our lives have been intricately tied up with and blessed by God’s church.

5. Travel. We have not been world travelers, but photos remind us of the one cruise we took, long drives across our own beautiful country from coast to coast, and visits to other countries. We have seen the rich culture and history of people around the world.      

6. Productivity and Creativity. There are photos that remind us of the many productive pursuits we have been able to participate in—concerts and dramatic events we have attended; concerts and dramatic events we have been part of; music and other awards we and members of our family have earned; university degrees earned; books written; projects completed. We have been privileged to have been part of God’s ongoing creative work.

7. Troubles. Our journey on this earthhas not all been sweetness and light. Our albums have also reminded us of death and loss, failure, and brokenness. There is much to mourn in our fallen world. And yet, we have often found comfort and grace in the midst of loss.

Looking back over our lives, we realize we have been incredibly blessed in innumerable ways.