Old Fashioned

“Graminy, Grammy, what are you doing?”, demanded five year old Cassie. “Nothing much,” I replied, “I’m just filling the trays to make more ice cubes.” I was not prepared for the response I got from Cassie.

“WOW! You know how to make ice cubes! Wait until I tell Mommy.” Her big brown eyes stared at me in amazement as if I accomplished some great feat. She ran to tell her Mom her discovery.

My daughter ask me why I didn’t have an ice maker in the new refrigerator. She was quite surprised that in this day of automatic ice makers I was still making ice cubes the “old—fashioned way” I thought about it then decided the “old—fashioned way” of making ice was a job that I could easily handle. Besides, I liked my granddaughter thinking I was amazing!

I remember when I was a child (oh, no, now I sound like my grandmother) blocks of ice were delivered for our icebox. You remember iceboxes don’t you? The ice was placed in the top of the icebox and as it melted the water dripped into a pan which had to be emptied regularly. The consequences of forgetting to empty the pan was a puddle on the floor. Finding that puddle in bare feet was not a pleasant experience. When you wanted an ice cube, you used an ice pick to chop a piece off the block of ice. Now, those were the “good old days” right? Maybe I am old — fashioned!

In this fast paced world, there are continuous changes. Last year’s appliances, cars, clothes, and even colors are now out of date. Just think how many changes we have seen in this last year.

One Wednesday night we went to Prayer Meeting and came home to find the United States at war. Places, military terms, and news coverage of the war all became part of our daily lives and vocabulary. How many of us knew what a Scud was before January 1991? Yellow ribbons took on a whole new meaning, and people proudly displayed the American flag. Lives were turned upside down as men and women were shipped to the Gulf. Children had to live with relatives while Mommy went to war.

It was frightening to see how quickly the world could change. Hebrews 13:8 tells us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Because of the stability of God and His Word, we can have confidence and peace. Without Him, our lives would be constantly unsettled.

Some people consider our faith in God and His Word old—fashioned. The Bible tell us in Jeremiah 6:16, “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” I don’t mind being old—fashioned, do you?
                                                                                                                  [MRF 1991]