No Sad Ending

John 16:22 (NET) - So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy away from you. I am grateful for every one of God’s blessings. I am also grateful for the people through whom God blesses me. Less than a year ago, the father of one of my friends passed away. Although I never met my friend’s father I have been told that he and I had a great deal in common. A few weeks ago, my friend offered to give me a collection of books from her father’s personal library that were written by an author that her father and I both appreciated. Of...

A Fresh Start

A new school year has started. While I have not attended school in a long time, I remember well some of the feelings I had when I began a new school year. One of the feelings that I remember best was the excitement of having a new beginning. Nothing compares with the sense of leaving prior mistakes and shortcomings behind. It is a chance to start over. The slate is clean and free of test grades that are less than great. It is free of homework assignments that have not been given my best effort. There are no negative comments in the margins. There are no essays with the comments "explain"...