All good things must come to an end!

This is a week of endings.  I am kind of sad, kind of excited and really just filled with mixed emotions.  As you know from past posts, my oldest daughter is graduating from preschool (sniff, sniff) and tomorrow is the big day.  She also just had her last meeting in a program we have been involved in for four years (sniff, sniff), and she will be finishing up her gymnastics and dance next week.  Yes, I have my youngest daughter to continue in her stead.  Lord willing, she will form memories with these same programs.  It is not like we will be leaving the programs for good, but I am still sad.

I also had an ending this week with finishing a Bible study that I have thoroughly "Enjoy"ed.  (It was called "Enjoy" in case you were wondering :)  I have so loved spending this time getting to know the ladies in our new church, and getting to know the book of Philippians even better.  It has been exactly what I needed in this stage of our lives.  The material and content could not have been more applicable to the trials we are facing as a family right now...God always knows what we need.  I am going to miss this encouragement, but I look forward to the next study!

The saying is true...All good things must come to an end.

Our lives are filled with endings and new beginnings.  Areas in our lives that come to completion and it is time to move on.  These endings can be happy, sad, frightening, and exciting.  Our emotions can run the gamut when it comes to thinking about endings.  Ending - it is such a final word.

The word ending has been on my mind and heart the past few weeks.  And when I have been thinking about it, I feel a peace come over me.  A peace that can only be described as a peace from God.  You see, no matter what might be ending in my life, He holds the next beginning.  He knows what will be on the other side of the next ending, and it makes me so happy and so full of peace.  Not to mention that when my ending comes on this earth, the beginning we as Christians will experience next in heaven is unimaginably wonderful.

I don't know if you caught something in the post from Monday.  In the devotion I shared, the author Jennifer describes Jesus asking to prepare a place for us.  She imagines Jesus saying to God, '[Candice] will be joining us soon.'  Did you catch that when you read it?  "Soon"  Really???

I kept looking at the quote over and over.  And I began to think about it in realistic terms.  The Bible verse from James 4:14 came to mind.  We are only on this earth but for a brief moment.  Our life is described as a "vapor, that appeareth for a little time".  We will have an ending on this earth, but it is only the beginning...the beginning of eternity.

Eternity is not fathomable for our human brain, but there is no ending there.  I am so glad and thankful that my eternal ending is heaven.  There will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more endings...just an eternity of praising our Creator!

Today's Verse
Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord, which is, which was, and which is to come, Almighty."

Endings don't have to be frightening when we know the true "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end" holds our lives in His hands!