by Randal Matheny

The year draws to a close. At least one thing we may be able to finish. 2002!

Reminds me of an online personal essay journal whose editor asked the question of writers: Which are harder, beginnings or endings?

I wrote her an almost-four-line response:

 HARDER

 Why, I'm surprised that you would even ask
 Which is, by far, the harder writing task:
 To start or end. For all that ply this craft
 Agree that, of the two,

One of my great difficulties is finishing all the wonderful projects I start. Perhaps we need to revise that old saw that says, "Nice people finish last," and make it read:

 Nice people finish.

All this reminds us of a line from Solomon's Ecclesiastes, where he got a few things right, including this idea:

 The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
 Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of
   spirit. (7:8, NASB)

Read all the quotes circulating the Internet, and you'll find most people are more interested in the ride than the destination. I suspect that's another diabolical plot to make people forget that eternity is around the corner.

Sure, I want to enjoy each day as it comes, but my days are numbered, so I want to look forward to One Eternal Day. One complete, unending joy.

Well, that's the end of my faith I'm looking for, as 1 Peter 1.9 says, the result, the outcome, which he explains as "the salvation of souls." Mine. And, I hope, yours, too.