Endings part 4
There are lots of endings that are good. I've been trying to hit that pretty hard. But today I want to take some time to address when its something good that ends. Because that happens. We refer to those times as the "good old days," right? And we look back fondly on them. As we should. But the key, as always, is to learn and grow from the past and keep moving forward. If you're always pining for days gone by you can't enjoy where you are right now. And just because its different now doesn't mean its necessarily worse. Let me link two verses together. Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end," and Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." And here's my point: We went through a good time. And it came to an end. And we think things will never get better than they were back then. People who peak in high school. Or that one magic summer. Whatever. Well, the truth of the matter is, God KNOWS the end. Because He IS the end. And He knows the end from the beginning. He knows that there's a power working in you--a power called love, the only true power there is--that can do more than we think it can. Whatever we think is the best (and it usually is an experience, because we don't seem to be able to really believe that good things can happen to us very often)... it doesn't even come close to what God has in store for us. But, unfortunately, we sometimes rob ourselves of what God wants for us. We rob ourselves of the gift we've been given by trying to earn something that can't be earned. Or we spend all of our time wishing we still had what we used to have. I've noticed something about us humans: We have a really hard time letting go of things. And whenever people tell me, "Nevermind," I always reply with, "That's what I do best." But its really not. Sometimes I get stuck on things. Stuck in a rut. Which is just a grave with the ends kicked out. Stuck in the past. Unable to move forward. Because something good... ended. But here's what I'm trying to say today. Here's what you do: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" (Dr. Seuss). Life is all about choices. And its all about moments. Nothing lasts forever (except love). For everything there is a season. Buttons come and buttons go, to quote Pete the Cat. So we can either let the past define us, or keep us stuck pining over it, or we can learn and grow from it. We can look back fondly on it. I'm a little bit self aware of this, to be honest. I know there's a time when my son is going to grow up and stop wanting to spend every minute with me. (I'm hoping against hope that this doesn't happen, but I'm realistic.) So I try to make this time we have together "the good old days." I try to make our time special. Making a photo album out of our Halloween costumes. Matching t-shirts just about every day. So that when it IS over I can look back on it fondly. And I can still be ready to accept what my heavenly Father has for me next. So enjoy it while it lasts. And when its over... don't cry. Smile. There's something new right around the corner. Another adventure. And it may be different, but that doesn't necessarily mean its worse.