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Finishing Touches


 So many Sunday mornings, our family would be in the car ready to head to church.  Missing one unnamed daughter, the consistent routine unfolded.  Frank would rush into the house, calling to unnamed daughter,  it's time to go, what could you possibly be doing, you've been dressed for an hour!?!  Following the predictable pattern, the answer was always the same...

"Finishing touches, Dad, finishing touches!" 

And here we are...

Just another Friday [yesterday] leading into a weekend.

Just another Saturday [today] raining and a bit dreary.

Maybe with a dramatic musical overture, we remind ourselves, with much emphasis.... we ended 2021 which means we began 2022 in the past 24 hours.

How does your brain process that thought - questions like the ones below?

Are you...

 a goal setter?

a word for the year chooser?

a determined number of books to read planner?

a brand new blank journal writer?

a redo the budget manager?

an exercise starter?

a read-the-Bible-in-a-year accomplisher?

Honestly, I think about all those questions, and some of them are good questions to be answered or at least thought through.

But my mind is still pondering a bit of the finishing touches needed on 2021.  Let's really be honest enough to say that some of those finishing touches might be lurking around from 2020 or 2019 or 2015... you understand, right?

Maybe I've thought through another list...

Who do I need to forgive?

Who do I need to ask for forgivenss?

What has God brought to my mind and heart this past year, maybe before, that He is calling                     me to do?

What have I learned from the past twelve months that I'll use to encourage someone else?

When might I choose to follow God in ALL things, ALL aspects of my life?

When should I have shared the good news of Jesus with a friend... with a stranger?

How might I help mend a hurting relationship?

How might I need to re-evalute an unhealthy relationship?

Can I encourage you, even challenge you, to spend the beginning of 2022 putting needed finishing touches on 2021?

Looking back and looking ahead had been a powerful reminder to me of the constant, never-changing power of God's word... the Good News.... the Bible literally at our fingertips.  

Hearing Paul's words freshly reminding me... looking back, looking ahead, living present...


Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, 
since all members of one body, you were called to peace.
And be thankful.
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly 
as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom
 through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit
 singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,
 do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus 
giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:15-17