I've been thinking through the past few days...
What message do I really want to convey to all my friends?
The other day I shared with a friend that I was reading a book called,
"Necessary Endings" by Dr. Henry Cloud.
And my friend responded by saying,
"It's time you think about 'Necessary Beginnings'."
I remember the time we needed to quit dairying...
I remember the time when we changed churches...
I remember the time when I retired from my work world....
I remember the time the kids left home...
I remember the time when relationships changed and ended...
I remember the time when my mom passed away...
I remember watching the final Olympic closing....
And so when I look back over my years, I've realized that
endings are necessary and often can become strategic steps to something better.
If we cannot recognize endings in a positive light and end well,
the "better" will never be able help us develop New Beginnings.
Somehow I always find it difficult to accept the ending of an old year,
and almost stressful to think of the beginning of a new year.
It's like we want to "tidy up" all those loose ends as the year closes.
We want to get our entire year caught up before the new year starts,
and there's something about us which makes us determined to do it.
Then there is the temptation to set up an elaborate set of resolutions
for the coming year so we can get it right, right off the bat.
We get down right hard on ourselves and beat ourselves up.
So let's quit beating ourselves up and when things are not making sense,
lets look how we can begin to see the changes that come our way,
with a positive light and assert that something better will come our way.
I hope for the willingness to live this year in a way that will be gentle to myself...
one day at a time and to know how to enter into the "battlefield of life,"
continuing to meditate on Jesus and his powerful message of love.
My goals will be to reflect on newness and progress in the New Year!
Life is a journey and you get to chart your very own fresh tracks for the New Year!
I wish all my readers an insightful and peaceful New Year!