Ecclesiastes 3:1-9
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Like it or not, all things, whether good or bad, eventually must come to a natural end: offspring come of age and move from the comfort and security of the place they know as home; physical prowess slowly dwindles and outward beauty gradually fades with age; relationships end when friends or relatives transition from this earthly life. But with every end, there is room for a wonderful and exciting beginning.

When a loved one passes into life eternal, we have opportunity to reflect on what made that person special in our life - how they affected you with their sharing, or their comforting, or how they encouraged you, or made you laugh - and to ensure that we live in a way that reflects that spirit. This establishes a legacy that survives their temporal existence and extends even to others who never had the privilege of making their acquaintance. Just think of how your commitment to being a living legacy will affect the lives of those you encounter. If you haven't guessed, your spirit will affect their lives that same way their spirit affected yours.

When we lose a much-needed job due to downsizing, we have a chance to do something we might never have done otherwise. We can pursue a dream that long ago had been pushed aside due to the mundane pressures of everyday. We can return to school and train for a career that aligns with our passions. We can start that business providing a product or service desired within our local community or even extending to others across the country and around the world with similar needs or interests. We can write that book or screenplay that has been burning to come out of us and that the world has been waiting to read or hear. We can do what has been "impractical" to do before, because we no longer have the job as an excuse not to do it. The time is now "right;" and the circumstances could not be better for you to do something different than they are right now!