Endings

The holidays are here; we have decorated, prepared meals, wrapped gifts while we anticipate the celebrations of the birth of our Savior. Yet something looms beyond the festivities, family gatherings, carols, and church services. The end of the year often brings reflection on what has happened, what was not done or neglected, what was celebrated, what was mourned.

Any endings can have connotations of sadness, not only the end of the year. We may feel sadness when we leave a job or retire, end an unsuccessful marriage or relationship, finally earn our degree, and end our academic career to enter the “real world” (I often wonder where that “unreal” world is). But there comes a time when we realize that endings are necessary before new things open to us.

I have experienced many “endings” over the last several years: one marriage ended by sudden death, another one begun by a surprisingly wonderful meeting; ending where I lived since 2000 to move to a home my new husband and I share. I am ending one position of service to begin a new phase that involves building this new marriage, travelling, and still being open to what God may put in my path. My time as council chairperson will end, but not my willingness to serve when and where God reveals the next thing.

Each New Year’s Eve, for the past 5 years, I undertake a simple project suggested by my son that helps me cope with ending one year and beginning another. I make a vision board, centered around one goal, then connecting pictures and text of experiences, disciplines, and decisions that help me achieve the goal. When completed, I place it in a location easily seen each day (although last year’s poster met with destructive pets).

As I have been anticipating this project, the word “ending” kept popping up in my head. Not wanting the year to “end” on a downer, I began thinking how endings can be positive. A flood of endings came to mind. What if I focus not on what I need to end but rather begin, even in a small way. My thoughts took me to:
  1. ending hunger by contributing to the food pantry simply by leaving cans in the giant basket leading into the fellowship hall or sending a contribution to Society of St. Andrew.
  2. ending racism and discrimination by practicing acts of inclusion and seeing everyone through the eyes of God.
  3. ending abuse even if that means sharing my personal experiences so that someone else can know they are worthy and can find or renew their God-given purpose in life.
  4. ending actions destructive to our planet; even picking up plastic waste on the beach has an impact (carry a trash bag with you); being aware of water usage; recycling and repurposing items rather than discarding them.
  5. ending hatred by modeling Jesus (a revival of the WWJD theme?).

Ok, you can see that I am a dreamer, and an optimistic one at that! Yet I have decided to focus on what is positive at a time when divisions for political, racial, religious, gender, socio-economic, and age reasons are widespread practice. I don’t have to join that movement. I can choose how I respond, so that I don’t contribute to division, misunderstanding, and hate.

The church certainly has a role to play in these types of “endings.” The social precepts of our church lead us to consider how we respond to racism, abuse, health of the planet, role of women in our church, communities, and world. Our responses should not be ones of criticism, derision, ridicule, or most dangerous of all, indifference. We are called to put an end to injustice; Jesus reminded his disciples that justice begins with loving and honoring God by feeding the hungry, visiting those in prison, healing those without health care. Ending injustice begins justice, calling for reconciliation and restored relationships. Is that not what we are seeking?

I am planning to end writing these articles for the Anchor (perhaps I should add “for now”). I believe that there should be a “voice from the pews” to represent collective or individual thoughts about both practical and spiritual matters. While I am “ending” these articles, I hope that someone else, or several others, may begin to submit articles about what is on their hearts and minds. Who will step up?

Understand that I am not “ending” my service; I am open and excited about what God will be “beginning” in me this next year. And I intend to serve with my last breath.

What will you end; what will you begin?

Blessings,
Judy Adams
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