Don’t Look Back
The other day I posted a comment on Facebook, “Don’t Look Back”. That phrase has been rummaging around in my mind for several days now.
Recently, my sweet husband gave me a ticket/parking pass, compliments of his work to attend the Holiday Nutcracker Market, a Mecca for women who love to shop! For most who live in the Houston,Texas area this market is put on by the Houston Ballet Guild to raise funds and scholarships for the ballet. It is the second largest fundraiser behind the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Anyway, the market draws a large crowd, therefore tons of traffic, mostly women. Women in very fancy cars, women in SUV’s and women in Bubba trucks, as I call them. (For those who don’t live in Texas, a Bubba truck is a big truck with a cowboy/cowgirl wanna-be as a driver. No offense, I love cowboy/cowgirl-wanna-be’s!). I just so happened to be behind a pair of ’em in a Bubba truck for about 45 minutes. You may ask, “Why would I wait so long to go shopping with 75,000 other women?” Answer: Because it was FREE! As I say often, “I am my father’s daughter!”
While I was inching my way to the parking gate, a flood of memories came back to me. The Market’s venue is on the edge of the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, near the fertility clinic that I spent a lot of time in. It was at this time last year, almost to the date, I was given the news by the doctor in regards to having children, “there is nothing more that they we can do for you”. Yes, it was disappointing, extremely heartbreaking news.
As I was sitting in my car, wrapping my mind around the memories, the tears started flowing, they just wouldn’t stop. The girl in the Bubba truck caught my eyes in her large, side door mirror; she must have known I was crying because she wouldn’t stop staring. Anyone living in Texas knows that the side mirror of a Bubba truck sticks out half as wide as the truck itself; hence an expansive bird’s eye view of what is behind.
I have one of those fancy cars, or so I think, maybe all cars have this, where you can change the channel on the steering wheel. The radio actually shows the title of the song and the band. As I was trying to look down to hide my face, I was looking at the radio. I came across a familiar tune, one from 70/80’s band, Boston; I stopped, focusing on the title, my eyes turned to the words on my radio, “Don’t Look Back”.
The song was near its’ end…repeatedly the sound of…
screeching guitar, singing “Don’t Look Back”…
screeching guitar, singing “Don’t Look Back”…
screeching guitar, singing “Don’t Look Back.”
Immediately, I said, “Ok, God, I get you”. I acknowledged Him, recognizing He was using the lyrics to a secular song to speak to me. I made the choice to take Him at His Word, instantly, I was relieved and comforted.
I then dug around and found a napkin in my floorboard, blew my nose and finally, the chick in the Bubba truck stopped staring at me. I proceeded into the gate and into the masses of women, bought a $7 chocolate, toffee apple and purchased a great leather bag.
I believe each new day God gives, for the most part, presents itself the opportunity for A LESSON to be learned and/or A CHOICE to be made.
Do you remember Lot’s wife in the Bible? She DID look back and became a pillar of salt. Salt, has many good qualities and uses. One of them is being a preservative, but what I have seen living in the Gulf Coast Area near the beach, salt is not always good, corrosion ensues on a perfectly good thing.
Just like Lot’s wife, when we look back, we may not become a pillar of salt outwardly, but inwardly we are corroding. Corroding because of the disappointment life can bring. We can become bitter because things didn’t turn out the way we had thought or prayed for. Corroding becomes ugly on the inside, only to be revealed later outwardly, in our words/actions toward others, even God and ourselves.
When she looked back and became a pillar of salt, she was stuck. She was ‘history!’ ‘Done!’ not able to move forward.
Such a tragic story.
I believe God is saying to you and I, “Don’t Look Back”.
Will we be bitter or better because of this past year? Will our actions be salty or sweet towards others or God?
It is up to you and I to make that choice. Be encouraged today!
Oh, and by the way, Happy New Year! May this year truly have a new beginning for you and a fruitful outcome in more ways than one!
I’m closing this post with some Bible reading and the lyrics from Boston’s song, “Don’t Look Back” for reflection.
Scripture for Reflection: Read Genesis 19:1-27, Job 11:16-19 Living Bible
Don’t Look Back ~ Boston
Don’t look back, a new day is breaking
It’s been too long since I felt this way
I don’t mind where I get taken
The road is calling, today is the day
I can see, it took so long just to realize
I’m much too strong not to compromise
Now I see what I am is holding me down
I’ll turn it around
I finally see the dawn arriving
I see beyond the road I’m driving
It’s a bright horizon and I’m awaken
I see myself in a brand new way
The sun is shining, the clouds are breaking
Cause I can’t lose now, there’s no game to play
I can tell there’s no more time left to criticize
I’ve seen what I could not recognize
Everything in my life was leading me on,
But I can be strong
I finally see the dawn arriving
I see beyond the road I’m driving
Don’t look back, a new day is breaking
It’s been so long since I felt this way
I don’t mind where I get taken
The road is calling, today is the day
I can see, it took so long just to realize
I’m much too strong not to compromise
Now I see what I am is holding me down
I’ll turn it around
I finally see the dawn arriving
I see beyond the road I’m driving
A prayer for you: The Future
“Heavenly Father, I praise You because You have created me and have a perfect plan for my life. I thank You that you desire to prosper me, not to harm me, to give me hope and a future! You have started this good work in me and I ask that you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Even though I don’t understand why I have to go through these fertility challenges, I believe that You are a God that is working all things together for my good. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28, Philippians 1:6