Wednesday, August 23, 2017

And I’m back… 

This week our one-year old grandson, Spencer, began (reluctantly) his first days at day care. He has just begun walking. Katie, his mother, posted a Facebook photo of him on his first day. Fresh hair cut, new clothes, his own little backpack. Adorable! What else is a doting grandfather going to say?

But the look on his face was priceless. No smile, a grim look as if saying, “What do you mean I have to do this for the next 18 years of my life!” Sorry kid, but welcome to September, the beginning of the school year.

I can remember those first few days of school when I was going to elementary or high school. New teachers, shiny new textbooks, new blank notebooks and new unused lined paper. This year, I would say as I began, I am going to keep my notebooks neat, tidy and up to date. I am going to do my homework every night. I am going to get my projects in on time. I am going to work hard and apply myself, and get straight A’s in all my subjects. You’re looking at the poster boy for good student of the year award.

Yeah, right! 

It was the same during my years in pastoral ministry.  I eagerly anticipated what to me was the real start of a new church year - in September. Programs would start up again along with choir, Sunday school, and small groups. Maybe there would be a new idea or two that I wanted try. Worship services got back to normal after everyone’s summer vacation.  But sometimes the issue was that few others shared my enthusiasm for September and it was often after Thanksgiving before anything really got going. By then, my initial gusto was fading fast.

Now that I am in retirement, I kind of miss that rush of starting something new and fresh in September. Maybe if I go and lie down I’ll get over it. I am sure that Susan has all sorts of suggestions. No problem - I will get right to it - after Thanksgiving.

Beginnings are important.

Beginnings bring order and life out of chaos. “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth…” (Genesis 1:1).

Beginnings signal hope and good news.  “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and lived among us…” (John 1: 1, 14)

Beginnings expect the best from us, even if we sometimes may fail. “For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,” (1 John 3: 11).

It is more difficult to end well if we don’t try to begin well. “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit,” (Ecclesiastes 7:8).

I don’t think that it is ever too late to begin again or that one is ever too old to begin some new aspect of life, growth, resolve, or endeavour. This may be one of the characteristics of being “born again”. Beginnings are the initiatives to put the old behind us and embrace the new life that God offers. New beginnings are having the ability to open a door to new possibilities and to own a future that holds out the prospect of blessing and well-being. As the old Chinese proverb goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first steps.

Happy September!

Dale