Three Windows
Another Day Along the Way
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Another day,
Imagine a room with three windows. Walk toward one. As you open the blinds and glance through the window, you notice your past. You had expected to see a normal day: the birds outside, maybe a rabbit, a light drizzle, a picnic table in the back. But you saw faces, felt feelings, heard songs, and smelled the fragrance from years ago.
Imagine backing up and moving toward your next window. This one doesn't allow you to see outside. The screen reflects your face. You see yourself. You notice the now, the present. You're glancing at the countenance of who you are.
You take a few steps back and walk to window three. You slowly, slowly, slowly - unsure of what you might notice - open the window. There you see what you assume is your future. You observe yourself older, walking with a few people you assume are friends.
Think now about the three windows. Through which window would you prefer to continue glancing? Which scenes bring fear, pain, joy, anger, hope, healing? Which views convey caution or courage or compassion? Why?
A visit to the past can motivate us toward anger and resentment. Or joy and celebration. Or a mixture of each extreme. Or maybe very little - if we've chosen to forget days of pain. The same for the now - we can celebrate the present or seek to deny the moments of now. And for the future we can fear entering new land or we can anticipate an adventure of wonder.
Take time to glance out the windows.
Remember the past. Forgive and be forgiven. Notice the pain and be healed. Smile.
Discern the present. Stare through incorrect assumptions and improper perceptions. See you. Believe in the Creator who made you, the Father who loves you. Accept the face looking back and make a choice. Smile at yourself.
Dream of the future. Good dreams. Big dreams. Impossible dreams. Dream with faith, anticipation, potential, and an eternal family. And, make the choice again: smile.
As you depart and leave the windows, remember what you noticed.
Along the way,
Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: What is in the way is how you've mishandled your wound and the life you've constructed as a result.
(John Eldredge, Wild at Heart)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Another day,
Imagine a room with three windows. Walk toward one. As you open the blinds and glance through the window, you notice your past. You had expected to see a normal day: the birds outside, maybe a rabbit, a light drizzle, a picnic table in the back. But you saw faces, felt feelings, heard songs, and smelled the fragrance from years ago.
Imagine backing up and moving toward your next window. This one doesn't allow you to see outside. The screen reflects your face. You see yourself. You notice the now, the present. You're glancing at the countenance of who you are.
You take a few steps back and walk to window three. You slowly, slowly, slowly - unsure of what you might notice - open the window. There you see what you assume is your future. You observe yourself older, walking with a few people you assume are friends.
Think now about the three windows. Through which window would you prefer to continue glancing? Which scenes bring fear, pain, joy, anger, hope, healing? Which views convey caution or courage or compassion? Why?
A visit to the past can motivate us toward anger and resentment. Or joy and celebration. Or a mixture of each extreme. Or maybe very little - if we've chosen to forget days of pain. The same for the now - we can celebrate the present or seek to deny the moments of now. And for the future we can fear entering new land or we can anticipate an adventure of wonder.
Take time to glance out the windows.
Remember the past. Forgive and be forgiven. Notice the pain and be healed. Smile.
Discern the present. Stare through incorrect assumptions and improper perceptions. See you. Believe in the Creator who made you, the Father who loves you. Accept the face looking back and make a choice. Smile at yourself.
Dream of the future. Good dreams. Big dreams. Impossible dreams. Dream with faith, anticipation, potential, and an eternal family. And, make the choice again: smile.
As you depart and leave the windows, remember what you noticed.
Along the way,
Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: What is in the way is how you've mishandled your wound and the life you've constructed as a result.
(John Eldredge, Wild at Heart)
13 Comments:
good words. i liked your instructions regarding what we should do with the past, the present and the future. right on.
Interesting "powerful statement" -- it's not the wound, but how I handle or mishandle it, that determines its impact. It's still my life to shape.
I chose to look. I choose to smile. Thanks Chris.
Looking through the windows can be quite scary. The past can bring back feelings that I don't really want to remember. The present can bring some anxiousness along with the future. But I'm choosing to look and remembering that I'm resting in the arms of the Father. I'm smiling often through the tears and holding on to the promises of Jesus. And I think that is all that He really wants.
Great Blog Pastor Chris! Each of these windows pose a new challenge. Each of the radiate with the truth of what makes me...me, in God's perfect will.
I always thought forget the past focus on the future is the right thing to do, but i guess sometimes, we do need to remember the past, because that is also how we remember how have we been forgiven and forgotten.
joshua lim
A very powerful message! Sometimes we choose not to look through one window or another, fearing what we might find. Or we ignore them all, deny their existence. Too often, we forget that they are an invitation to smile. Celebration-- one of God's many remedies for pain.
It isn't easy to look in those directions. I'll try.
This is a very powerful blog with a lot of helpful information. It helps to realize these things to be able to overcome the past and anticipate the future which can be very frightening at times. This blog helped me and others that I know. Thanks Chris,
Kenneth Blackwell
These are interesting thoughts. I have not considered these "time zones" could be categorized that way. I think that makes it easier to look into the past and future which for young adults can be difficult at times. The present... we're already in it now... so it's not SO much of a big deal.
It is interesting how if you do not take time to stop and think about each "window" or part of your life you do not allow yourself to comprehend how you feel about yourself or your life. What I mean is that the past holds wonderful memories for me. My past is full of happiness and complete child-like innocence. I am satisfied with my past and had much support from my family and many happy times with them. The future is full of excitement for me and promise. I am a hard worker and anticipate what I will do and who I will meet. The future is also a ticket to remove myself from the present. My point is that I am busy moving from one goal to another that I have not stopped to notice I am unhappy with the present. I hang on to the saying that time heals wounds and so I busy myself w/ getting time past me in anticipation for the future. I will face the present and "stare through incorrect assumptions and improper preceptions" from both myself and others. I will see myself. Thanks! Jess H.
I think that I tend to forget to look through the third window. I focus on things in my past and how they have shaped me into who I am now and I look at the present and what God is doing in my life. I sometimes forget to look to the future to see how what I am doing now is going to affect me. I am scared of the unknown and I am nervous of what might come but I am going to keep it in God's hands and look to my future a little more.
My choice is to look at the "present" window. The present is the moment in which I hold for my own.. every choice that I make right now affetcs my future and I feel empowerment. I did not have a bad child hood. Actually I consider myself very fortunate for the memories and learning experiences that I was able to accomplish. However, looking at my past leaves me longing for a time when things were simple and life was not so difficult. Back in the days when a stop at McDonalds would brighten my day no matter what difficulties I was going through. It is impossible to return to those times and looking through that window represents an unreachable mirage.... Looking into the future is not an appealing suggestion because I have always believed that I change my own future by the decisions that I make today. If I was to look into the future the magic would dissapear and the surprise and plathorum of feelings that I wish to experience would seem meaningless... Id rather face life as it comes... wether good or bad...
Miguel Barcenas
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