The past is full of great memories.  The places we went to school, the people we met along the way, first dates or achievements are some of the things people ponder.  Some past things are not pleasant to ponder such as lost loves, moving away, failing marks in school or numerous other things that didn’t quite work out.  The interesting thing about memories is that many times they are about the things that pleased or hurt us.  Rarely do people think about times they made God happy or helped another person along the way.

Pondering the past is a place to visit in our minds and emotions but only as a visit.  Today’s choices will be tomorrow’s memories.  Past experiences that are pleasant are a spring board to want to achieve more today.  Unpleasant memories are stepping stones that encourage us to step ahead to something better.  The absolute best goals are the ones that include serving God and others.  Pleasing God and serving others achieve the type of rewards that are forever and no one can take them from us.

Philippians 3:12-14

 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.  No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.