Bookends

In my reflections over my winter break I began to think. In previous posts I referred to Tony and the other couple that I visited. These were bookends to my summer. Well, deaths that happened to these people were also bookends for my semester. Tony went right before classes started in the Fall and Ralph died right before finals were over for the Fall term. Well, with bookends there is a definite beginning and end. But, as I have learned, times goes on. We face things in our lives and we always say "Why God, he had so much left to do." But, when we step back and look, we realize that it was for the best. A few years ago I was given a choice at the school district. I was told that I would not maintain my job for longer than the summer. I could have easily lashed out at God and said "Why God, I have so much left to do." But, I didn't. I realized that God had bigger plans. After all, after I lost my job I got my bachelors degree in Youth Ministries and am currently studying for my MDiv. Did that bookend of my life mean the end of my life? It meant the end of a chapter of my life, but a new chapter began. Ultimately one day there will be no more chapters to be written. But, that last chapter will be the most glorious. That will be the best chapter, too. But, there are so many people in this world that have "great" chapters now, but will not have that greatest chapter and that is what causes my heart to be saddened. So many people want those "great" chapters to be now instead of later. It is true that as we age we lose more and more. By the time we are 30 we miss the things we were able to do when we were young. When we are 60 we can't move as well as we could at 30, and when we look at the world for the last time we aren't able to act like a kid anymore. These are chapters in our lives, but no matter what afflictions we have we can always be certain that the greatest chapter is still to follow. I am often reminded of my grandmother when I think of this. The woman lost both of her legs, but you know what? Her greatest chapter followed, the chapter that gave her all she ever needed, the great joy of being in the presence of her Savior. We can't bring back our deceased relatives and friends, but we can know that if they had a relationship with Christ they are in the greatest chapter of all. We lash out and tell God that people had so much left to do, but there effect on the world was great enough and we realize that these people are living their greatest chapter even though "they had so much left to do."