Necessary Endings

If you frequent my blog and have wondered or thought, "Brian sure isn't saying much lately", people who are closest to me would probably retort, "Call it a miracle and count your blessings!" Truth is, the last few days and weeks I've just felt overloaded and - at times - even overwhelmed. Not with things to do, but with ideas, thoughts, and issues running through my mind. Trying to take the Proverbs to heart, I've considered it wisest to keep my words to myself as I'm trying to even process what they are. All that to say, I've been doing quite a bit of thinking and praying. 

Earlier this week, (as I've attempted to resurface from my internal think tank) at the recommendation of Tony Morgan I've started reading the latest book from Dr. Henry Cloud, Necessary Endings. Only a little over 1/3 of the way through the book, I can already tell you that it is affirming much of what I have already believed and practiced, challenging me with several new ideas and viewpoints, and will be a tool I use with our staff in the coming weeks and months. While I will go into more detail in future posts, I wanted to simply throw a very general (yet life-changing) idea out to you as this new season is approaching:

What is there in your life right now - what relationship, circumstance, habit, routine, practice, misuse of time, method (you get the picture) - that if it came to an end...would be a benefit to you?

So many things in life come to an end. My son finished preschool a year and a half ago. He initially didn't want to go to Kindergarten. But (call us crazy!) believing it was in his best interest - and the law - we sent him on to school. Now he LOVES school! (Which I'm planning to get him to testify to on video so I can show it to him a few years from now.) Preschool had to end so school could begin. Often, a not-so-bad habit has to begin so that a great one can take root. Many times, a relationship that has become toxic in your life has to come to a (painful) close so that healing can take place and new - BETTER - relationships can grow. 

In a few weeks I will cut back several of the bushes in my yard. To the non-gardner it will possibly look like I just went crazy, whacking them to pieces. But what I'll be doing is trimming off the dead weight, getting rid of every bit of mediocre growth. The result: When Spring arrives, only the best, choicest limbs and vines will be the recipient of what the roots have to offer. And those bushes and flowers will come back even stronger and more beautiful than ever before. 

So here's the thought or question: What necessary ending could take place in your life RIGHT NOW to begin the healing, restoration, or growth that you desperately need?