Issue 1 • 2014
ONECHILD ONEHOUR ONECHURCH ONESCHOOL
“Today I close the door to the past, open the door to the future, take a deep breath, step on through and start a new chapter in my life.”
– Author unknown
Being confident of this, He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ.”
Beginnings Thursday morning is “bin day” in our neighbourhood, and last week many thoughts crossed my mind as I heard the familiar rumble and clatter of the garbage truck trundling up our street to take away our rubbish and recyclables. As I watched the truck squeal to a stop in front of my house, and as the two mechanical arms reached out to tip in all that we as a family have discarded, I thought how much we own; how much we throw away; and how fortunate I am to live in a country where I don’t have to live on a rubbish dump to survive. I also became aware of how “freeing” it felt to see some of the accumulated “clutter” from the last 14 years we’ve lived in this house being taken away. As we prepare to sell our property and make a new beginning in another town, we’ve been slowly assessing our possessions to decide whether they have a place in our future. (It’s funny how many of us decide to do this when we move house!) Although de-cluttering can be exhausting, there is also nothing quite so cathartic and energising as you sort through the precious memories of the past and clear a space for the future. As Adrian Body once said, “Sometimes you have to let things go so there’s room for better things to come into your life.”
– Philippians 1:6
Part of new beginnings is almost always about saying “goodbyes” too, and those goodbyes need to be done well. There is much to celebrate in the past; there is much to be honoured; much to express gratitude for; much to hold treasured in your heart, for life is cumulative and nothing is wasted. Our past is full of people, experiences and lessons which have shaped us into who we are today, and which also help to equip us to stand prepared, on the brink of new beginnings. Beginnings can bring much excitement and feelings of anticipation as we launch into new ventures and adventures. It is as though the future stretches out before us like the pages of a new journal, and we get to “make a mark” and write a new chapter in our personal and shared story. But feelings of trepidation, doubt and fear can also be our companions on the path of new beginnings. Sometimes we ask ourselves if we have done the right thing, and sometimes self-doubt and fear seem to paralyse our steps. It is then that we need to refresh our vision; “keep the end in mind” and keep moving forward. So here we stand, each one of us, at the beginning of 2014. Our future is stretching before us, full of mystery and hope. May the God of all hope fill you with joy as you “begin again” with your KIDS HOPE child this year!
– Wendy Jarrott-Smith