The End

Last week I had a really great conversation with my daughter, who is now a married woman. It’s strange to think of my bouncy little girl as a grown woman with a home and a husband. She has a new chapter to write in the story of her life. Perhaps a whole new book even. 

As we talked through the newness of our lives and the changes therein, I shared the importance that routines have to mine. What they look like, how they play out through my day and how they help me accomplish things and how they empower me. 

One of my favorite routines is rising early and reading the Word of God. 

Younger than she is now, I had received a copy of the Bible that was organized into daily readings. Each day had old testament, new testament, Psalms and Proverb readings. If I were to read through each day I could complete the book in a year. 

I was excited about the idea and began earnestly on January first of the following year. Very quickly I realized this task was not an easy one. 

Soon the “bagats” and “begots” ran into one another and my eyes began to cross. As hard as I wanted to be diligent, I just couldn’t make sense of the goings on and it became harder and harder to concentrate. Finally, I got behind on the days and discouraged and as much as I hated to NOT finish a book I had started...I stopped. 

Years later, as I packed up my room, I came across that book buried where I hadn’t seen it for some time and as I began a new chapter in my life, I vowed to finish that book. 

Again, I started with the first page…

Again, I failed. 

Last Christmas I gifted my daughter a copy of the Bible that is set up to be read within a years time. I told her not to start January first, start when she was ready. 

It took me a while to be ready. I’d seen my grandmothers reading this book, my aunt had the same and it stayed on the table beside her chair along with her Sunday School lesson. Witnessing their practices was inspiring to me. I was drawn to the peace they had that I knew they obtained from staying in the Word. Their countenance always comforted me and I loved being with them. They calmed my soul and knowing what they had endured throughout their lives helped me to know that they gained their strength from the words they read daily. I knew I needed that. The challenges they had overcome, the crises they had lived through, the losses they had suffered, that book stayed constant. The Word comforted them. It reminded them who was in control and where to go for help. 

Last week when my grown daughter and I had a nice visit and were chatting about the days ahead working and organizing her home, my heart screamed out to me to make sure she knows to stay in the Word. “Everything falls into place when you start your day right.”, I told her. Then, I reminded her that it’s not important where she starts, just start. 

“Start at the end!” I blurted out…

And I realized, that’s really a beginning...maybe that’s where we should all start! THAT part makes all the rest make sense. 

Some folks eat dessert first. Movies often fail to be interesting until the middle and I’ve known people to only read the last pages of a book. I’ve read this one. I know how it ends and this time, I’m enjoying the “begats and begots”. They’re all coming together to paint a beautiful story. 

Maybe next time I read through, I’ll begin at the end.