The Curtain Falls

I've been in four plays. I was Prince Charming in first grade. I was type-cast then and it has followed me throughout my life. I was Johnny Appleseed in another elementary production. I had to dance. Don't tell anyone.

I was Obeey Upschlager in our junior play Hillbilly Weddin'. I had the opening line. "Ain't it soon time ya moved, Pa Belsnickle?" Eddy Tiner replied, "Ain't made up my mind which way t' move yet." And we were off and running.

Then I played the father/coach in our senior play but I can't remember much about it other than I struggled to remember my lines. I now had a job so I could make a truck payment. Thanks to a few offstage prompters, I made it through. Being a senior is much different than being a junior.

I spent a few years singing in a gospel group and the last song was kind of like the last scene of a play. When it was over I would often quote the Apostle Paul before we walked off the stage: "May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

When the curtain falls on a performance the performers can have mixed emotions. Relief. It had been weeks or months of preparation. Then the performances. Everyone lets out a sigh of relief when the curtain falls.

Sadness. You've poured so much of your time and effort into something that is now over. How many times have the performers wanted just one more performance?

Memories. The people who work together to create a performance - whether it's on a stage or a playing field - bond in ways unique from other relationships. Not necessarily better, just different.

The end of a play, the end of a performance, the end of a season, the end of a year share these in common. Relief. Sadness. Memories.

All that you might consider to be a negative from 2015, let it impact 2016 only as lessons learned. Don't make the same choices that led to the disappointment or discouragement. Do your best to steer clear of people and situations that harmed you.

Everything positive from 2015 can serve as launching points for the new year. Build upon the successes. Tweak what was good to make it better or best. Find encouragement from what you did well and leverage that to energize new ventures. Your creativity this year is a window into what you can imagine for the future.

Bind all of this in faith. I like to say that faith is letting God be God and do what only God can do. His ways and thoughts are better than ours, so says King Solomon. I believe it's true and have found it to be so over and over again. When I trust my ways and thoughts over God's I get into trouble. Maybe you've found that to be true for you, too.

I want to be faithful. Then I can rest knowing that he is in control. Then I can charge forward knowing he is leading the way. Then I can dare to glorify him knowing the he deserves utmost glory. Then I can get up after I've fallen knowing that he forgives and restores those who love him.

2015 does impact 2016 whether you like it or not. But you have the choice whether or not the impact will be helpful.