In remembrance ...

When I came back from my trip to France in 1992, I brought with me a container of "sirop de fraise" (strawberry syrup). We didn't often have soda in our house, and I didn't like drinking only water, so I'd mix some strawberry syrup into a glass of water as a quick and easy way to have something sweet.

Of course, my brother being six years old at the time, he liked it too. "Bryan, can I have some of your syrup?" he'd ask. I'd like to think I said yes more often than not, but I can't be sure that I did.

Some years back, I got him some as a birthday or Christmas present. He didn't recognize it at first, but when I reminded him of it, he had an, "Oh yeah!" kind of moment.

I thought about this story again during our spring break trip to France. We saw some sirop de fraise at a grocery store so of course I had to get some. Sugary drinks are not as rare for me as they used to be, but I didn't get it for the sugar -- I got it for the memories.
During a recent Communion message in church, we read 1 Corinthians 11, and there's a part that goes "do this in remembrance of me." We eat bread and drink grape juice as a way of remembering Jesus.

I do the same with sirop de fraise. Not because I'm thirsty, but because I remember him.