Looking Back: Keeping it in Perspective

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this:
 God has made the one as well as the other. 
Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
Ecclesiastes 7:14

~

This was the view I saw in my rear-view mirror on the way home from church Wednesday evening.
I wouldn't have been able to enjoy it as much if I'd have been driving towards it...
...as it would have either been hidden behind the visor or it would have blinded me.

So I did what any good blogger would do.

I reached in my purse and quickly grabbed my trusty point-n-shoot.

"Have point-n-shoot, will travel"...

...that has been my motto for the past two years :)

So when I got home, I uploaded it to my facebook page with these words...

"We all need to let go of the past but sometimes the best view is behind us" smile emoticon

~
As what often happens, the photo got me to thinking about my life.

It seems the older I get, the more I miss the good ol' days and what life used to be like.

Or sometimes even about what it could have been like.

Now, just so you know, I don't dwell in the past as part of my normal routine...

...but I think if we are 100% honest with ourselves, we all do this to some degree.

What would my life be like if this (whatever) had or hadn't happened?...

...what would my marriage be like if I would have done (or not done) this or that?

...or maybe what could have I done to prevent such and such?

~
A while ago I wrote the post If only..., where we visited a place called The City of Regret.

Now, please don't get me wrong...I don't live there by any means,

but I still can stop by there for a visit every now and then...
...more often than I prefer, to be perfectly honest.

I do consider myself to be a positive, joyful person for the most part,

but this is how the enemy works in our lives my life at times...

...by bringing back memories of those things from my past that I'm not so proud of.

Or maybe bringing to mind a time of struggle...

...a time of darkness.

Maybe it's a memory from long ago about some wrong decisions that were made,

resulting in situations and circumstances that you I thought were long forgotten.

I think you know where I'm coming from.
~

But on the other hand, looking back also can be good thing.

I mean, that's what many of our memories consist of...the good times.

Most of us have been blessed to have had sweet memories of growing up in a loving home,

or maybe it's when we think back to when we were first married and the births of our children...
 ...or maybe that first moment when we became a grandparent.
Such sweet memories!
~
Our lives are made up of a broad spectrum of events,
and sometimes it can be hard to keep these events in the proper perspective.
As Christians, we serve a Lord who is abundant in grace and mercy.
And I so love it when the Holy Spirit brings this to mind when I get off on the wrong path!
Whether we have lived a life with many or few regrets,
whether we have gone through many trials or maybe not so many,
it is what He has in store for us that we are to look forward to with joy!
~
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. 
But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

So as I think about looking back at this lovely reflection of the sunset in my mirror,
 it is a reminder to me of who I am and where I came from.
It is a reminder to me of those beautiful, happy memories from days gone by.
But more importantly, it reminds me of how God never leaves my side.
Even Especially when the enemy tries to torment by using little reminders of those times...
 ...times when things weren't so good.

And how silly would I be to think that those days are over?!

He was and always will be getting me through them, moment by moment...
...holding me, His amazing grace flowing down all the while...
...regardless if the glorious sunset is before me or in my rear-view mirror :)
~
And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
John 1:16


I'm sharing here:

Spiritual Sundays
Sunday Stillness
Roses of Inspiration
Grace at Home

If only...

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: 

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

Sometimes I feel like it's the story of my life..."oh, if only I would have done this...or that...or maybe I shouldn't have done either one! Or maybe it was a missed opportunity to encourage someone...or take back an ill thought out sentence. We all have these moments in our lives when we miss the mark. Unfortunately, I have more than I would like to admit. I apologize up front for the length of this post...and the lack of pretty pictures. I understand if you decide not to stay with me :)

I admire Joyce Meyer and have watched her regularly since I discovered her in the early 90's. I don't mind telling you that I am quite skeptical of most TV preachers and with the exception of a few, I just don't watch them much. I do pray for discernment when I see someone I connect with because I do feel the Lord has put a choice few in place for His purpose. I happen to believe Joyce is one of them. Anyone who watches her knows her story...about how she was sexually abused by her alcoholic father for years and how she has used this experience to minister to others. Anyway, this post is not about putting a plug in for her show...just a long winded intro to something I wanted to share that I heard on her show this morning.

The message was about living our lives in regret and how damaging it can be to our spiritual growth and relationships with others. She re-told the terribly sad story about her brother who had been addicted to drugs and alcohol for years and how he temporarily...for about 4 years...turned his life around while she and her husband had helped him. After being in rehab, he had given his life to the Lord. They had taken him in, given him a job at the ministry and he was even traveling and giving his testimony about what God had done in his life. After those 4 years or so, it was decided that he would be on his own and that's when things turned around again. Long story short, he went back to his old ways, was out of touch for several years and then was discovered just over a year ago...dead...in an abandoned building. She made the point that after his 50-some years of life, all of his personal effects...what remained of his life...fit into an 8 1/2 x 11 manila envelope. What a waste. He lived his life in regret and always blamed others for his failures. She ended the program by reading this story, written by an unknown author. I found it online and am sharing it with you.

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A Trip to Regret City

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. I'm talking about my annual "Guilt Trip." 

I got tickets to fly there on Wish I Had airlines. It was an extremely short flight. I got my baggage, which I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was weighted down with a thousand memories of what might have been. 

No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town. 

As I checked into the Last Resort Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year's most important event, the Annual Pity Party. I wasn't going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the towns leading citizens would be there. 

First, there would be the Done family, you know, Should Have, Would Have and Could Have. Then came the I Had family. You probably know ol' Wish and his clan. Of course, the Opportunities would be present, Missed and Lost. The biggest family would be the Yesterdays. There are far too many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share. Then Shattered Dreams would surely make an appearance. And It's Their Fault would regale us with stories (excuses) about how things had failed in his life, and each story would be loudly applauded by Don't Blame Me and I Couldn't Help It. 

Well, to make a long story short, I went to this depressing party knowing that there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that all of this trip and subsequent "pity party" could be cancelled by ME! 

I started to truly realize that I did not have to be there. I didn't have to be depressed. One thing kept going through my mind, I CAN'T CHANGE YESTERDAY, BUT I DO HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE TODAY A WONDERFUL DAY. I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, as well as encouraging. 

Knowing this, I left the City of Regret immediately and left no forwarding address. Am I sorry for mistakes I've made in the past? YES! But there is no physical way to undo them. So, if you're planning a trip back to the City of Regret, please cancel all your reservations now. 

Instead, take a trip to a place called Starting Again. I liked it so much that I have now taken up permanent residence there. My neighbors, the I Forgive Myselfs and the New Starts are so very helpful. 

By the way, you don't have to carry around heavy baggage, because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. God bless you in finding this great town. 

If you can find it -- it's in your own heart -- please look me up. I live on I Can Do It Street. 

~ Author Unknown ~ 

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I don't know if you visit here as often as I do but I will just tell you...
...I am tired of that place! 

With God's help, I'm going to take the author's advice and book my flight to Starting Again! 

Wanna join me?

Debby

sharing here:

http://jannolson.blogspot.com/2014/02/share-your-cup-thursday-90.html
http://www.impartinggrace.com/2014/02/grace-at-home-no-92.html