Looking Back - Moving Forward

Minding my own business on a Saturday morning, driving on the freeway when I ended up behind this bakkie and then somehow just found myself staying behind it until I learnt a lesson or two from the experience.

Please forgive me for operating my mobile phone to take a picture while I was driving but it just had to be captured.

Let be explain a bit about what's happening in the picture.

The bakkie in front of me has two passengers in the front seat and then another passenger on the back of the bakkie facing me. He didn't know I was taking a picture. I acted as if I was reading a sms or something.

Here's what I was thinking...

The guy on the back is experiencing the entire journey completely differently to the guys in the front. The guys inside get to see what lies ahead and they can see exactly where they are going, while the guy on the back simply gets to see something after they've passed it. He obviously also sees it from a totally different perspective.

It's almost as if they get to look into the future, while he is forced to only look at the past. They also have a view of the past by looking in the rear-view mirrors, but naturally, they will only "look back" occasionally. They much rather experience the trip by looking through the windscreen and focussing on "the road ahead".

I remembered some times when I've been in the same position as the guy on the back. But I remember feeling nauseas when I looked back all the time.

Doesn't this experience relate to life in quite a few ways?

Looking back is not always "BAD", as long as we look back to reflect, learn the lessons, celebrate the successes and then use that to propel us forward.

The guy on the back could have a completely different experience if he simply chooses to turn around and "face forward". If he had done that, he would be able to experience "the journey" with his fellow travellers. He'd be able to relate later when they talk about things that have happened along the way. He may even be able to give some advice when he sees the driver "going the wrong way", but by choosing to stay in the position where he is focussing on "the past", he is missing out on the journey ahead and actually has no involvement in his road to "the final destination".

Decide today to LOOK FORWARD. There really isn't much you can do about the past. You cannot change what has happened or where you have been or even some of the people behind you but you can look forward and choose your route. You can enjoy the journey by having a broader outlook and taking some interesting detours or perhaps even looking through the windows and enjoying the journey with some other travellers going in the same direction.

Life has so much to offer. The journey ahead can be so exciting.

Move Forward by Looking Forward and... ENJOY THE RIDE.

Be encouraged,
Darren

A picture says a thousand words

Just when I start feeling the pressure of having to keep up the momentum, I have to get my mind quiet and just open my eyes and then something pops out at me and inspires the next post.

Today it was this item:

 

 

Arlene and I each have one of these frames on the pedestals next to our bed. We received it as a wedding gift from a dear friend. We instantly loved it, and my suggestion was that each of us put our favourite picture of the other in the frame. Although Arlene is the first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I see before I sleep, I still thought it would be nice to have a picture next to the bed.

As you may have guessed, (or can tell from the pictures above), we're heading for 6 months of marriage already, and these frames are still empty.

Here's the lesson...

"When the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable" - Myles Munroe

 This frame is simply not living out it's real purpose. It is serving some purpose but not really achieving the main thing it was created for. It has been occupying a space for nearly six months and it has done a good job of not making the space look empty, but it's main purpose is to hold a picture - which needs to be inserted by us.
As you can see from the current picture insert, it is only designed to hold a fairly small picture, but when the right picture of my wife is inserted into that frame, the frame itself will even take on a new identity and will be so much more valuable (and sentimental) to me.

Isn't life so similar?
Don't some of us settle for just "occupying a space" when we should be doing so much more. We may have the capacity to create a completely different world around us but choose to be content with just occupying the space and "hosting the sample picture".

We may not be a big frame that was created to hang in the entrance of a skyscraper, but our creator saw a need for us to be here and specially designed us and took the time to make us beautiful enough to be "chosen" and presented as a gift to this world. We need to tap into that purpose and decide to live it out.

The difference between us and this frame, is simply this... WE HAVE A WILL. We have the power to choose to live our purpose. We don't have to depend on anyone else to insert the picture before we achieve what we've been created for. We simply need to decide to stop settling for just the sample when we can present a beautiful picture.

And sometimes our "owner" is waiting to insert the new special picture that will beautify our world, but He is waiting for us to speak up and say "I'm ready. I'm tired of simply occupying space, I'm ready for the bigger picture. Thank you for choosing me. Now, use me as You will."

Decide today not to be content any longer. Go after the dreams God has placed in your heart. Pursue your destiny. Make a difference. Make that impact in your world.

Someone's world needs the beauty that only you can bring.

Be encouraged,
Dazz