"But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead..." ... Philippians 3:13
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So in my kitchen this morning the radio played, Sunshine on my Shoulders and wow, instantly I was teleported into the back of an open pick-up truck with 15 other teens from my church youth group in 1975.
That always happens when I hear that song.
The sun gleams upon the snow beside the road as we all sing loudly with wind blowing our hair, not feeling the cold because of our coats and because of being in our early teens and silly with no real cares, only giddiness while singing, "Sunshine almost all the time makes me high."
Oh, where a radio song can take you ...!
They celebrated my birthday that weekend in the big cabin we all shared and no girl ever had a better 16th birthday, I'm certain.
But hey. I only stay there long enough to search each happy face in the back of that truck and to smile at the funniest parts of my cabin-in-the-snow birthday party. And then I come back home.
I belong here now and when you stay too long at those yesterday places, they go all hazy with a golden light which did not really exist, a light that pushes away the forgotten negative parts which co-existed with reality. And then it looks too good, too bright--and not real.
And I prefer the real of my Today. 'Now faith is' and I know God wants me to stay in Today and not wish for even my 2 or 10 or 20 years ago, either. He can bless me here, change and strengthen me and love me into wholeness.
But He cannot do that if I spend my weeks and years in Yesterday. Yesterday is not real and can't even be recalled correctly. It's gone.
(This post is dedicated to Cheryl, Linda and Fawn who read my blog and who were all in the back of that pick-up truck on that happy day.)
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"Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this." ... Ecclesiastes 7:10
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." ... Isaiah 43:18,19
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Free kindle books as of today, June 17th:
Once I Was a Teenager
Georgia on Her Mind
Signs, Wonders and a Baptist Preacher
Real Clever Ideas and Solutions
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When Tom and I finished all the Alias shows, I felt sad that it was over, but now the often-similar Covert Affairs (with shades of Nancy Drew in them) has filled that void. We are up to the 3rd season and we both love this show!
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Here's the Roman Meal coupon which I usually wait for every year, but this time I'll not be using it because we promised Naomi we'd try to avoid wheat. :)
But if you've not promised anybody anything, here you go. (You can print two.)
Ah Sweetness.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the flashback, Debra. Good friends, fun times, not a care in the world - well... almost - just drama about who had a crush on whom.
Love and hugs to you today.
Fawn
Oh Fawn! Yes, the crushes. :) I do think of those, also, and a certain 24-year-old visiting youth worker who went along with us that weekend, whose name I still remember, even though we never saw him again and even though you-know-who and I were still an item, though barely, I think.
ReplyDelete(Oh wait! I believe we did see him once more when, later, he just happened to be at a skating rink we all visited as a group.)
Yes, the teen drama was there and that's one of the things that dims that golden light surrounding the perfection. And thank-goodness it does...
Thank-you my forever-young friend! Blessings,Debra
Now you have me curious...why Naomi wants you to avoid wheat...though I know we would be better off so doing.
ReplyDeleteWell, tis nice to have some contact with old high school friends...and indeed sounded like a fine party you had!! But as you say, we cannot expect to go back can we? HOW could we...in these old bodies anyway!! ARGH...speaking from gimpy leg here.
Thanks for the kindle links...took a couple.
Elizabeth in WA
Elizabeth--Naomi wants us to avoid wheat for reasons like those listed here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kriskris.com/why-is-wheat-bad-for-you/
I've been hearing it causes weight gain so that's enough for me. heh. :) Well, I'm willing to try this as an experiment, anyway. It surely is nearly everywhere, though!
Glad you're able to add kindle books now! Blessings, Debra
Yea, we eat gluten free a lot...but need to be consistent. Which makes eating out harder...and more expensive. But there are lots of good reasons to do so. Daughter here with rheumatoid arthritis feels positive it makes her hurt worse. And with both hubby and I with some kind of arthritis that hurts...would be cheap medicine to do so I think. I actually have the book Wheat Belly...just need to get to reading it now!!
ReplyDeleteKeep us posted on what you think after doing this awhile. I think you would have to be doing so 6-8 weeks at 100% to be able to see. It can take that long to get a toxin out from what a doc told us years ago.
Elizabeth in WA