Looking backward, moving forward

"This is the history of the heavens and the earth"

Genesis 2:4

As I think I've shared before, one of my favorite things about teaching my kids, is all the learning I get to do.   I love delving deeper into subjects I already love, and learning more about the subjects that, um, escaped me when I was in school. 

My Amazing Boy and I have been doing a lot of reading about the Renaissance lately, both in History, and in Art History.  But specifically in our Art History text, we were reading about the architecture of Roman buildings in the 1400s, and the text included the following:

"All styles of architecture grow out of earlier styles.  

Renaissance architecture grew by looking backward

 toward Rome, but its use came at a time

 when the world was looking forward to greater things.  

Explorers, scientists, and thinkers were showing

 the way to modern times, though they were getting

 some of their ideas from studying ancient ways.  

They were looking backward, but moving forward."

from A History of Art:  Architecture

VM Hillyer and EG Huey

I just love that concept, of looking back while moving forward.  It's great advice for so many areas of life: 

family ~ appreciating your ancestors, and how they helped make you who you are, while growing and embracing what makes you, you. 

education ~ the importance of understanding the history of your country, and the world, while working to make it a better place.

pioneers ~ in whatever industry you love.  Even when I think about how much I love homeschooling,  I need to appreciate those who went before me.  There are so many things that enable me to do the best for my kids, and that's due to the hard work of writers, innovators, and a whole lotta moms.

Most of all, I think this illustrates why I study the Bible so much.  It's a book ~ a book of books, really ~ that were written so long ago, and yet totally applicable to now.  Not to mention the future.  I look back at how God worked in the lives of His children, and I see how He works today.  I look back at how Jesus lived when He walked this earth, and I know how He wants me to walk. 

Most of all, I think I benefit from looking back at what God has done in my life, and it gives me joy as I look forward.  Steven Curtis Chapman said in a song, "I can see for miles when I look over my shoulder."  It's true.  Look back, and see what God has done.  Then go forward, and watch what He will do.

~ "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth,

for the first heaven and the first earth

had passed away." ~

Revelation 21:1

~