I woke up this morning with a sense of “ending.”  That is, I was thinking of “this is the last time this year I will. . .”  It wasn’t a bad thought process but one of focus.  Yes, there were a few silly things:  the last time I will cut my hair this year, shave (my face. . .yes, for those who know my hairline, different than cutting my hair) this year, go to the grocery store this year, etc.  However, there were also some important end of the year things.  This will be the last time this year that I show my wife that I love her through my actions (or don’t show her. . .that happened too. . .).  This will be the last time this year that I went to lunch with my family.  This will be the last time that I have a game night this year.  This will be the last time I do budget planning for the year.  This will be the last time that I consider my relationship with my Creator and Savior.

Those might seem like odd thoughts when tomorrow is a new year and all those things will probably start again.  However, it was a point of focus for me.  I am ending one year, thinking towards the next.  It’s not next year’s end but it is an end.

I’m beginning this new year with the end in mind.  All the things that happened this year deserve to be evaluated, improved, or discontinued, so that at the end of next year, I will look back and see that this New Year of Our Lord is one of contemplated success.  If we listen to the experts and “begin with the end in mind,” this is a practiced way to do so.

So what is that you are ending?  What is it that you will improve?  How will your 2016 end?

The end is here. . .