MEMORIES
Thanks to modern technology, like most of you, I am able to memorialize my life in precious iPhone pictures. I have 10,363 photos at this moment! I won’t try to explain. Let’s just say, new son-in-laws, new grandson, new grandpups, and new location, and I need to electronically purge this year! Even with that many pictures it seems there are many events and memories that can only be accessed in my mind and heart.
REWIND AND REPLAY
Facebook has a feature which I love, but is flawed. The Facebook Memories will pop up and show you posts from on this day on the last year, two years, etc.. There is also a feature which is pretty cool, that makes a video for you without you asking it to, of photos of your past year at a glance. Kinda creepy in a way, but they usually turn out really nice with music in the background they make you feel like your own movie producer! The problem is: it is incomplete. For the sake of time, many memories are not included. If you are like me, and try to immortalize everything in a picture, that excludes a lot of memories. I could have a video of nothing but sunsets of 2019! (Hey, that’s actually not a bad idea!)
WHAT’S IMPORTANT
Facebook may have access to your public pictures, but they do NOT have access to your heart. Only you and your God know what is truly important to you. Or do you? In reviewing this last couple of years, I have a variety of posts on health, politics, etc., but one thing stuck out to me. I noticed a thread of commonality. God has blessed me in the last few years to enable me to do a bit of traveling, and some of those trips were a dream come true! I have cataloged places, and nature, and events, but what is really precious to me are posts that inspire myself and others to seek God, and the pictures of my kids, grandkids, and their ‘stupid’ pets. This is key. For me, perhaps Facebook Memories is not too far offbase after all.
GOALS, DREAMS AND YOUR, “WHY”
There is a lot of talk in motivational circles, about “If your ‘Why’ doesn’t make you cry, then it is not strong enough!” And, of course, “It’s a new day! A new year! A new decade!” Looking back over the last decade, the last year, and I would say even the last 24 hours, what would I do differently? This is not to instill regret or guilt upon this day, but rather, hope. Today is a new day. I am watching the sunrise through my window as I type this, and know I will never see THIS sunrise again. But there’s another one tomorrow. Looking over this last year, I can rewind and replay, as it were; keep doing the same thing I did last year, and not make any progress toward my goals and dreams; or I can learn from what I did, assess what I value, and make changes accordingly. What do I want to do differently this year – this day? What are my goals and dreams? Perhaps I should start there?! If I haven’t defined what is really important to me, then I will have nothing to prioritize. Is it time to reflect and regroup?
TODAY IS A NEW DAY
Behold, old things have passed away, all things have become new. We are given this day, this moment. This seems to have become my mantra. We really are NOT promised tomorrow, or even all of today. But we must live for today, planning for tomorrow, or we live as a fool in the midst of fools. Do we live life, or just let life happen? I am not sure how that plays out in your life, but in mine, it means that each and every day, I need help. I need help identifying what is important, just for that day, and rejoice in the moment. This helps explain the 10,000+ pictures, and the amazing sunsets I have to look back upon. But, I would be a fool to stop there. To rewind and replay is not to push pause and remain indefinitely looking at the same screen, but rather to reflect, regroup and rejoice in the past memories, in the moments in front of me, and the possibilities of tomorrow.
THERE IS HOPE
There is always hope. Yes, I have regrets. Yes, there are times I wish I could have a do-over. The good news is, today is your “do-over”. There is grace sufficient for the day, and wisdom available to plan for tomorrow. One step at a time, one moment at a time, one hurdle at a time, always looking toward the goal, the next finish line. Be open to God’s direction. He is the one who can help. He holds today AND tomorrow in His hands, and has a plan for you that is better than anything you could possibly plan for yourself. Rejoice! Keep your eyes on Him, and He will direct your path, because there is nothing He wants more than to lead you on the path of an abundant life. I will ask Him for help. I will pray. I will pray for you, will you pray for me?