No, not the end of this blog. I'm actually in the mood to start blogging again. While fiction writing and I still have a tumultuous relationship, writing of the musing type is once again tugging at me like an adorable toddler eager to show me a pony.
The end of which I speak is 2016. My word, what a year. At some point today, I'll write a final entry in my yearly journal. Something along the lines of: 2016—The Year That Somehow Happened. The Cubs won the World Series. The Donald won the presidentially election. Hurricane Matthew tried to drown the eastern side of the state, fires in Southern Appalachian burned the western. And half of the entertainment industry died. Hoping for better in 2017.
But despite the constant stream of death and disasters around the world, of wars and rumors of wars, there is much for which to be thankful. Mankind overplayed its hand in 2016 and has showed how vile, how hateful, how rebellious it can be. By all rights, the God of Creation could have eliminated those who constantly rebel against Him—including those in the church who disobey just about every command Christ gave during the Sermon of the Mount alone, which I'm convinced professing Christians who love to ridicule haven't read—but He didn't. Some have asked if God is so good, then why does He allow all the evil in the world to continue?
It's because He is good. He keeps His promises. While He may correct the wayward course His creation seems intent on taking, He won't cleanse the evil from this world until He brings home the last stray sheep. And for that, I'm grateful.
May 2017 be a year of blessings. Toward that end, let's all make better choices.