Time, Our Most Valuable Commodity & The Sunday Showcase Link Up

Homebody Sweatshirt (HERE)/Wubby Vest (Similar)/Pikolinos (Similar)/Backpack Purse (Similar)

Hello my dears and Happy 2019! Is it true?? Did we say goodbye to yet another year?? Before I lament about the passage of time, let me say that I love a fresh start, which I get each month on the blog with the Sunday Showcase. Ada, Kellyann and I are featuring our own fashion picks this month, mine being a quick peek in my day to day casual. What else is new right? Just the same, indulge me as I prattle on about our most precious commodity: "TIME - The Past, The Present, & The Future", all the while sharing pictures from our adventure at the Sarasota Jungle Gardens. Thank you for joining me and sticking with me this year!

The Past

Oh, how my head spins when I ponder anew that this time last year, I was sitting in our quaint home, in a rural town of Georgia, with not an inkling of the impending changes to come. Though the changes were beneficial for our family, they were unexpected as well as difficult!

Aside from our move to Florida, my eldest turned 16 and became a driver...I'm confident that I've more gray hairs from that, than caring for twin babies!

Within those changes, there are more miracles, big and small, then I can recount in this post, but I invite you to catch up HERE to read how God worked out all the details, for this detail challenged gal!

Another surprise came in the form of new friendships developed on an incredible adventure in Nashville! Click HERE if you missed that one. ;)

Isn't that the way time is? We can't even see what lies a minute before us! It's a valuable treasure that can escape our notice if we're not careful.  Like water, it's a commodity that we cannot create, nor can we keep it within our grasp. It slips through our fingers, whether we hold fast or let go of the reigns; time cannot be controlled. You cannot slow it down or speed it up. And you cannot change that which has already transpired. There is no predicting tomorrow and there is no redoing of the the past.

"Well of course!", you may say, but allow me to share a memory from when I was 19 years old, young and on my own. A series of bad decisions led me to the lowest point of my life. Though my family was in and out of church, I believed that God was real, so that's where I decided to turn. I gave Him my sad state of life and in return He gave me, love, forgiveness, peace and acceptance. But the consequences were so hard to bear. Therefore, I pleaded with Him.

"God, you spoke creation into existence; with the command of your voice, nothing became something.

You parted the Red Sea!

You caused the Sun to stand still.

You fulfilled more prophecies than I could ever imagine.

You raised the dead to life...

Why can't you let me go back and do things differently?"

The more I've studied the writings in Scripture, the more I learned that God gives countless examples of second chances, third chances and more. However, never once have I found a passage that tells of when God allowed someone to go back in time. He may be able to control time, but He doesn't change what's been done.

The Present

Have you ever dreamed about going back? I'm sure we all have, but I don't share this because I'm living with that kind of regret now, but because it's one of many lessons I've learned about time, lessons filled with healing and grace. I'll not forget that immature plea of a broken heart, racked with guilt and shame, for it serves as important reminders for my everyday present:

1. There's no going back. To live in regret is a fruitless waste of time. Confess wrongs, learn from mistakes, accept consequences from my own personal decisions, and move forward! (Phil. 3:13-15)
2. There's nothing God can't forgive.  (I John 1:19)
3. God is good. He doesn't abandon me - ever! And even when He doesn't answer prayers the way I think He should, I can trust that He loves me and has a plan for me, a plan which continues on. (Romans 8:28)
4. Look for things to be thankful for - write them down and/or share aloud to a friend. Healing can begin right here! (Col. 3:15)

Homebody Sweatshirt (HERE)/Wubby Vest (Similar)/Pikolinos (Similar)/Backpack Purse (Similar)

The Future

Sooooo, that was quite a rabbit trail! All I intended to do was reflect on this past year but there's too much for one post. In addition, If you've been following along for a few months, you already know it all about my big changes. Also, perhaps someone reading this needs to hear that there's hope for those who made a mess of things. 2018 was a difficult year for my family and I, but if I look back to those years, there's no comparison!! I'm so thankful for all that God has done for me then, and all that He continues to do for me now.

In closing, for "the future", I want to live out a life of purpose, impacting my family and others along the way.  And I'm starting by sitting down and taking a good hard look at how I spend my most valuable commodity!

This is something I've talked about recently with the PowerSheets Goal Planner by Cultivate What Matters, and I plan to continue sharing this journey on the blog. Who knew a little planner could get so many thoughts rolling?? Hop over here to hear more about the PowerSheets.

*Enjoying the present, while looking forward to the future in 2019, sharing my goals with you and hearing what you have on the horizon!!

And before you go, I simply must share a couple pics of my photographers and ask that you hop on over to visit Kellyann and Ada to see what they are up to!

Photographers

Now Link up! :) 

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