Looking Forward

A brief explanation for my relative blogging silence of late: I’ve been cross-stitching! Being the slightly over-ambitious person I am, I decided just before Thanksgiving that I would try to complete an 11x14 project as a Christmas present. ….yeah…. ok stop laughing and shaking your head! I thought I could do it. So I gave it a good honest try. I finally finished it on Monday. I’m a few weeks late. But have a look – I think it was worth the wait. It’s at the framer’s now so it can proudly hang in my friend’s home.

Therefore we do not lose heart…. inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

I suppose you could label this a new-year’s themed post. After all, January is certainly a good time to pause for a barometer check. A couple weeks ago, I listened to an audio drama based on John Bevere’s book “Driven by Eternity.” It’s a great reminder that we should be long-sighted with our thoughts and actions. Whether the moment we’re living is supremely awesome, or a total bummer…it’s just a moment. I find that to be oddly encouraging.

Because I think it’s important to look forward. It’s easy to get weighted down by things that hurt you or by things wished you’d handled differently. It’s also easy to get stuck in a memory of past glory. Reminiscing is great…but it’s important to keep moving.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I push myself hard. Maybe because I grew up hearing so many stories of people who changed the world. Maybe because I’ve been able to meet real-life dynamos. Who knows why, but I’ve always been wired to go above and beyond. To keep pushing and climbing and reaching.

The challenge I face with myself is to not get discouraged. It’s easy to encourage others that you may never fully see the ripples of influence that you leave. It’s quite another thing to walk it out in your own life. (Advice is always funny that way huh?)

So my resolution this year is to not allow myself to become disheartened. I know what I’m made of and what I’m chasing. I know that I’ll make the most of the opportunities I’m given. And I also know that if I miss a cue, it’s ok. I’ll proudly remember where I’ve come from, and I’ll let all the moments I’ve lived so far be the firm foundation that keeps me on my path.

Great is the road I climb, but the garland offered by an easier effort is not worth the gathering. ~ Propertius