MOMENTS in TIME define who we are in the PRESENT and who we become in the FUTURE. Strange that something so little can equally be so big. When was the last TIME you have thought BACK through your PAST and those Moments that have defined who you are today? Think about the people in those situations, for better or for worse, who played a major role in that TIME of your life. Now, think about when was the last TIME you lived purposefully in the moment, not only for yourself, but for those around you in order to help define their FUTURE...
Today, October 26th is the anniversary of the day that fictional movie character Marty McFly from “Back to the Future” goes back in TIME in the year 1985. Here we are today 25 years later.
Yes, I’m feeling a bit nostalgic today thinking BACK about the films impact.
Not only did it have cool special effects for even our day and TIME, way cool actors, great music from across the decades, tons and I mean tons of some of the best one liners found all in one film, but BTTF also contained some great life lessons.
One of those ever-present lessons in the films is the power of a moment. For instance, in 1985, Marty McFly’s parents discuss to the family at suppertime, for what is apparently the hundredth TIME they have heard, about the day they met and how they fell in love. This of course turns out to be crucial plot information once Marty accidentally goes back in the PAST to that fateful same week in 1955 altering some of those Moments.
Similarly, in a scene early in the film, Marty has this conversation with his high school principal:
“Mr. Strickland - ‘I noticed your band is on the roster for the dance auditions after school today. Why even bother, McFly? You don't have a chance, you're too much like your old man. No McFly ever amounted to anything in the history of Hill Valley!’ Marty McFly - ‘Yeah, well, history is gonna change’.”
In the PAST, Albert Einstein once said “Not everything that counts can be counted. Not everything that can be counted counts”. Also, the Psalmist wrote a Prayer to the Lord, “So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom (Psalms 90:12)”. And in the same vein of thought, Charles Spurgeon once wrote that "the place of our habitation is fixed, and we are wrong to remove from it out of whim or caprice, but seek to serve the Lord in it, by being a blessing to those among whom we reside...It is when we are in His work that we may reckon upon His smile".
So, today in this Moment in TIME, I simply encourage you to think BACK on your life’s journey so far. The FUTURE and your FUTURE is in the Lord’s hands and yet He allows you in those simple and profound Moments to make choices. Pay attention to the details. Be grateful for all things that have shaped you in the PAST defining yourself in the PRESENT. I could never begin to express enough thanks to all my varying Family members, Teachers, and Friends who through childhood, teen years, College experience and on into the Marriage with raising children & Ministry years (Poplarville & Starkville) that have shaped my life thus far. Look for the trace of grace in your journey. And in your being thankful, share your lessons learned from the PAST to others in your PRESENT helping to positively shape the FUTURE. That’s the Power of Love!
...And if for some strange reason you weren’t a big Fan of the BTTF films or even this little devotional, I would say in response that both will stand the test of TIME. Or to quote Marty McFly after his big guitar solo, “I guess you guys aren't ready for that, yet. But your kids are gonna love it.”
Your Friend in TIME,
Matt Loving
*For fun, make sure you check out this website www.bttfmovie.com
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Some personal “fun-Facts” connecting me with the BTTF trilogy:
DATE - On October 26th 1985 my Parents took me to see the film Back to the Future, the same day in the film that Marty goes back in time. My Dad and I have reminded each other about that bit of trivia through the years and just talked about it this PAST weekend. That winter my Parents also moved my brother, Alan, and I from Memphis, TN to Brandon, MS(go BHS Dogs!) by which the Lord put in motion many vital Moments and people that have shaped who we are today.
DANCE - In BTTF, the quirky named “Enchantment under the sea” dance is where Marty’s parents must attend and fall in Love, or Marty will be HISTORY(also where He plays the big guitar solo to the song ‘Johnny B Goode’). In my PAST, my wife, Jenny, and I went to our first dance through Mississippi College(go Choctaws!) in April 1993. That dance also had a quirky name called “Company B” featuring music from the PAST. The rest for us is our History together ever since...
MUSIC - Whether in the 1980’s in the film (when I was a kid and middle schooler) or the 1950’s (when my Dad was a kid), Music is also considered to be a ‘character‘ in BTTF because of it’s prominent role in important Moments. Music has always been a big influence in my life. One example is the date that Jenny and I officially began dating Back in 1993 was also the night we attended a Dc Talk & Michael W. Smith concert together in Jackson, MS--I will refrain from posting that pic of us together per Jenny’s request, even though it will always be one of my personal fav’s of us together...Coincidentally, in the PRESENT year 2010 we took our 3 oldest children to see their first concert, TobyMac(formerly in the group DcTalk), in the same location and same month as our first one!
MINISTRY - In 2005, I designed a youth ministry Bible study series for the Crosspoint Youth entitled “Back to the Future-a study on the book of Revelation” utilizing scenes from the entire trilogy to coincide with lessons from Youth Specialties “Creative Lessons in Revelation” series. This PAST January our ‘Disciple-Now’ Retreat theme was ‘Totally Awesome 80’s’ which had a coinciding logo entitled ‘Back to the D-Now’, using a similar logo to the BTTF movie logo.
