A New Year's Reflection: Laundry, Ends and the Ellipsis...

Laundry and the Calendar

My wife has commented over the years, “I would have a Master’s Degree in laundry, but I just can’t seem to finish my thesis.” I’m sure you understand. As soon as she gets near the end, more laundry piles up; a never-ending task.

Odd as it may seem, laundry is what came to mind as I looked at the last page of my calendar: December, 2016. Why laundry? Because it seems to be more descriptive of the passage of time than the printed calendar. The calendar actually has a last page, then a new and different calendar goes up for the *new* year. Life, like laundry, really doesn’t work that way. There always seems to be, just another day.

I think we like the idea of a ‘new year’ because it makes us think:

• New (a good thing);
• Better (is...well...you know...better);
• Different (is fun; stimulating);
• Positive future (hopeful);
• Difficulties past (relief); and so on.

In reality, New Year’s Day comes right after New Year’s Eve...every year. On one calendar it is New Year’s Tuesday after New Year’s Eve Monday. This year it is Sunday after Saturday. (Do squirrels really know the difference? What do the cows know about Sunday or New Year’s Day?) One day follows another; more laundry.

I can remember more than 50 ‘new years,’ though they mostly blur together. It is like Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Take down last year’s calendar and put up a ‘new’ calendar, and do another load of laundry...nothing really new at all.

  

The End and the Ellipsis...

I wanted you to think about the realistic ‘laundry life’ for a moment in order to introduce a ‘real’ question: What about the end?

Some people live as wanderers, never knowing quite what they are doing or where they are going. They end life with a question mark. Huh?

Others live in perpetual motion. They pursue, chase, claw, climb and attain. They end life with an exclamation point. POW!

Most people, I think, simply live life trying to get through the day. They do a lot of laundry and their life ends with a simple period. Dot.

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My wish for you as we close the book on 2016; and as we start a new chapter, 2017; and as we continue the 'laundry of life’ is to…

Truly enjoy the times of joy and happiness with genuine thankfulness in your heart. These are a gift from God. But know that there will be difficulties in life. (Read Ecclesiastes)

Persevere through the aching trials of life while holding fast to your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Trials are the testing ground that God uses to make us spiritually mature. (Read James)

Maintain purity and holiness toward God and maintain your love for your fellow Christians and your fellow man. That is how you will be most like God. (Remember the Great Commands.)

I think about my end sometimes (such as, when I take down a calendar) and I am not really interested in the Huh? POW! or Dot. I am expecting an ellipsis...dot dot dot...continuation...for I have a promise from my God that when I die I will live again… resurrection...a truly 'new' day…

F-O-R-E-V-E-R...

(Read 1 Corinthians 15…

Happy New Year, 

Mark Stinnett...