Last things....always means that something else is about to start.

I text-ed a friend at the beginning of this week saying this was a week of last things; last time in the hospital, last one-on-one meeting with my supervisor, last group meeting, last on-call. She text back something like this: "Oh I love last things because that means that there is more ahead." She had a completely different view on my situation. I was thinking to myself that although this is a week of last things, I have little idea of what is next and that puts me in a vulnerable position. it's all very well thinking that last things always lead to next things but it would be kind of lovely and settling to know what is that "next".

Today I wrote my final papers that I will ever write for seminary - ever. No PhD for me - that's for sure. Tomorrow's group meeting will complete the final requirements that will fulfill all that i need to do in order to get my diploma and attach MDiv after my name - that I will never actually do, but I could if I wanted. Last things always lead to new things and "new" things might not be as good as the last. However, I do believe that God has called me to GOOD things and they are always good but perhaps it might be hard to see the good in them - perhaps...at first. When I left Bend, OR, I could not believe that I could ever have as good a place to be and live and grow as where's as beautiful as Bend (there was more to it than that, but that is all I am sharing just now). As I headed out of the city and saw the mountains grow small in my rear view mirror, I distinctly heard the Spirit whisper to me, "Do you not think I could be that good to you again?" And by good I mean to be with people who hike and bike and swim and sail and walk and know that they are fortunate to live in such a place that allows them to do this. By good I mean to be with people who love hard and hurt and cry with and for each other when others are hurting and pray and learn and grow and admit that there is no such thing as "having it all together." By good I mean to have daily time to be in God's Word and learn and search and listen and watch God up to amazing things EVERY DAY and notice those things and get to be a part of them.

Last things are always good because they mean the start of more ahead....