Don't Look Back

New Year's Eve preparations were fun yesterday.  The kids and I dug through old party stuff to find some things to hang around the house.  Miriam hung streamers everywhere.  Kaylee helped blow up balloons and cut out hearts for daddy.  I gave Micah a stack of construction paper and he went giddy over making a "New Year's Party Hat." (Isn't it lovely? Here I am modeling below.)  

Chandler wasn't "in" on making the decorations.  He found this website where he can design his own football jersey's and it's been his "new obsession."  He fantasizes about initiating a Stake football team since we have church basketball.  If his wish ever comes true, he's the man for the jersey design.  Apparently, we will be called "The Provo East Stake Tigers" and will sport some stylish crimson and gold uniforms.

 Anyway, most of us continued to decorate.  I jammed out to "Don't Look Back" by, Boston a couple of times until my kids began to complain about stupid "old" music.  I informed them that it was called "classic" not old... "classic rock!!"  (Secretly, I know they loved it.  And I'm pretty sure they were awed by my air guitar solo.)  Regardless of their opinion, I still think the song was perfect for the day.  

Speaking of "Don't Look Back".... Do you remember Lot's wife?  She looked back.  

Remembering this caused me to remember "Remember Lot's Wife," a talk by Elder Holland about not looking back.  So I went back and found the talk to listen to.  It was great to remember.  ;) 

(Whew, That was fun!) 

"As a new year starts and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives."

"Perhaps at this beginning of a new year there is no greater requirement for us than to do as the Lord Himself said He does: “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42).

"The proviso, of course, is that repentance has to be sincere, but when it is and when honest effort is being made to progress, we are guilty of the greater sin if we keep remembering and recalling and rebashing someone with their earlier mistakes—and that “someone” might be ourselves. We can be so hard on ourselves, often much more so than with others! - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland "Remember Lot's Wife"

I gleaned two messages from this talk:

1. Live in the present with hope for the future.  Don't long to re-live the glory days of the past thus wishing away the here and now.  Count your blessings. Shape and build your life with gratitude.

2. Don't look back at other's mistakes or your own.  Let them go, let people repent.  Forgive and forget as if it never happened.  Allow Christ's atonement to work in your life. Give others and give yourself the gift of a brand new day.

Elder Holland describes such forward thinking as faith!

"Let people repent. Let people grow. Believe that people can change and improve. Is that faith? Yes! Is that hope? Yes! Is it charity? Yes! Above all, it is charity, the pure love of Christ." 

The mutual theme for this new year is "Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ."

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." - 2 Nephi 31:20

I love that!  It reminds me of Joseph Smith's call for faith:

 "Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory." - Joseph Smith

Let's strive for greater faith, hope, and charity this year as we keep putting one foot in front of the other, practicing each day sincere genuine gratitude and show forth an increase of love.  We have so much to be hopeful for. Don't look back.  

Good things come to those who press forward.

Happy New Year!

-Alicia