What Will you leave behind in 2021?

​I have lunch with my friend Rachel about once a month. I always leave those lunches a little better. Rachel is a wonderful combination of compassion and wisdom. There is always room in my tank for more of both.

When we met yesterday, she told me about the sermon she heard at her church Sunday. The pastor was helping the congregation look ahead to the new year.

He talked about the Roman God, Janus, after whom the month of January is named. In Roman mythology, this is the God of beginnings and endings. If you look for images of this God, you'll find a God with two heads.

One looking ahead; one looking behind.

We are in the transitional last week of 2021. Many of us are looking ahead to 2022 with new hope, maybe some excitement. But I think there is some space this week - maybe even it's a good idea - for one head to look behind.

Look back and gather up the pieces of 2021 we want to take with us, and to also make note of the pieces we'd just soon leave behind.

Without question, 2021 was one of the most challenging years of my life. I found myself in places that I surely never imagined myself being. This has not been the 2021 I predicted for my life.

Yes, I hear you life, it is indeed a foolish endeavor to ever try to predict you....

But as I look back on 2021, I know what I'm grabbing hold of. I know what I refuse to leave behind; I may even wrestle anyone who tries to grab it before I do.

I'm grabbing strength. I discovered a strength in 2021 that I never knew I had. I discovered a strength in 2021 I never knew God would so generously share with me.

It is true, that in our weakest moments we find our greatest strength. And the beautiful thing about it is, once we find it, we get to keep it. The head looking behind gets to grab hold of it and take it with us. We get to be forever strong.

Thank you 2021.... what a gift.

What will I leave behind? As I turn all heads forward, as I look ahead, what doesn't get to come with me?

Regrets.

Regrets are staying behind. I may even leave Janus at the door to make sure they don't try to follow me.

I've learned this year that strength and regrets don't play well together. A life full of regrets has no strength. And strength will not tolerate regrets. I've lived a life forever smack dab in the middle of their conflict - regrets and strength. But no more.

Janus guard the door.

I encourage you, look behind, what are you taking with you? You have a suitcase for your journey into the new year, grab hold quick of all that will serve you well. Because there ARE things about 2021 that have served you well.

And be sure, as you look behind, there IS some stuff worth leaving behind. Leave it. Leave a guard at the door to make sure it doesn't try to follow you.

And start looking forward. With new hope, and maybe some excitement. Start looking forward to 2022.