Only five more days until Christmas. For some Christmas is a time for joy and happiness. For others, it can be anything but. For me, I am somewhere in the middle. I spend a lot of time reflecting on my life, where I was, where I am now, where I am going. This year is the same, only different.

The last couple of years have been tough on me. I have been struggling with what seems to be an endless financial mess. My health hasn’t been all that great, I can’t do the kinds of things I like to do, physically I just can’t do it. I have had to make some pretty hard decisions. That is what has been the same.

The what is different is that I finally seem to have an inner peace within myself. I realize that no matter what happens I have Jesus at my back, guiding me and pointing me in the right direction. I know if and when I stumble He will be there to help me up. And more importantly, I have finally realized that there actually is a purpose to life, an “End Goal”.

So many people struggle with trying to figure out where they want to be in life. They wonder what life has in store for them, thinking it is the here and now that is the most important thing in life. They surround themselves with things, always trying to get ahead, to have the latest “stuff” and forget about what is really important along the way. They are so busy pursuing these dreams of wealth and success that they forget why they are really here. They forget about love and kindness. They forget about the “End Goal”.

What is that “End Goal”? It is to use this life to get to the next one, the one where we will spend eternity. We have two choices as to where that will be. We can either spend it in Hell with Satan, or we can spend it in Heaven with Jesus. We always hear about God having a plan for us. Well, this is what is plan is, to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. We won’t get there through materialism, narcissism, hedonism or any other “isms”. We will only get there by being virtuous as we can be, by living our lives the way He wants us to.

Do I always do that? Nope, but I try. And looking back over the last few years I realize that I have come a long way in reaching that goal. Yes, I have a long way to go, but at least I now have the “End Goal” in sight. I am working to that goal each and every day. Whether it is at home, at work, through my writing (which I have done darn little of lately) or through my day to day actions, I am doing my best to get there.

How about you?