God wants us to have closures. Good, healthy closures. He designed us that way. So, at the end of every year, we throw stuff away, wash all the laundry and the cars and the dogs, pay all the bills, etc. -- getting rid of the old so that we can start afresh.

But what about our internal stuff? our secret lives? our relationships? To have a good closure with God?

Let’s call these seven points the “Happy Seven.”

1. SEEK AND SPEAK THE TRUTH.

We can be terribly self-deceived, or have bad memories, or we judge ourselves and others too quickly, we don’t get the facts, we tell white lies, we exaggerate, we cover up, we would rather live a lie, with pretense, than rock the boat.

I’m in this crowd. I want people to be pleased with me. I hope people, even people that I might have damaged, will overlook the truth about me. This is why I distract myself by all sorts of activities instead of thinking about what and who I really am.

That’s why going on a spiritual retreat and having a spiritual mentor/guide can be a very good thing to do annually.

Confessing our sins is owning up to our sins instead of making excuses, blaming or judging others, denial. James 5:16 is about confessing our sins to each other FOR OUR HEALING. We need the Christian community to hold us accountable for our sins -- heavy, huh?

2. MAKE AMENDS.

Did you wrong someone? Did you bad-mouth someone? Did you wrong someone by not accepting their apology and extending forgiveness? Either get or give forgiveness and/or double your niceness to them.

In most cultures a gift of sufficient value has to accompany an apology.

Remember the story of Zacchaeus who was up in the sycamore tree trying to get glimpse of Jesus passing by and Jesus spots him, talks to him, invites himself to Zacchaeus’ house, and just by Jesus’ acceptance, he vows to give half his goods to the poor (Luke 19:1-10; cf. Exodus 22:1-15, 2 Samuel 12:6).

How do you make amends with someone who despises you, is divorced from you, is so messed up because of your abandonment, abuse, alcoholism, neglect, adultery, whatever? Think generosity.

3. FORGIVE ALL SINS AGAINST YOU. FORGIVE YOURSELF TOO.

Why not? If others held your sins against them -- and didn’t forgive you -- you and I would have less friends, less family. And God has forgiven you.

Your part is to forgive. Don’t let the sun set on your anger (Ephesians 4:26) or guilt. Get rid of it, the Bible says. Don’t let it fester. We let some things just hang on and on like nooses around our necks because we won’t forgive ourselves or the offending party, as if we have to punish them or ourselves again and again and maybe that’ll atone for our/their sins. Christ’s blood on the cross atoned for our sins!

4. RECONCILE IF POSSIBLE

You may move to reconcile, to make peace with someone you hurt, but that party may not want to reconcile or at least make peace. That happens. It’s always God who makes that kind of miracle happen.

But we have to persevere in seeking reconciliation without being a pest. Every new year I’d call a party that I offended at least to say Happy New Year and asked if we could at least have lunch. For six years the answer was a cordial “Not yet, Ron.” (The word “yet” was a great word to hear! There was hope!). On the seventh new year, it was something like, “Yes, let’s have lunch. It’s time.” Wow! I cried.

5. SAY HELLO TO SAY GOODBYE, GIVE YOUR BLESSING

You have to make your love plainly known, not assuming that they know, to those you are closest to.

Everyone has their own “language of love” that may be different from yours. And don’t wait. Give your blessing to your parents who consciously or unconsciously are hoping you would. Or to your boss that hired you. Write a letter.

That helps you to have closure with them and they with you. Sometimes you’re stunned by how much they love you, appreciate you, admire you. Give to others your love, your appreciation, your admiration. Holidays and birthdays and anniversaries are golden opportunities to give your blessing. Don’t wait.

6. DO SOMETHING WORTHWHILE.

Get INTO yourself in a different way. Life isn’t about money or fame or power or status. Or brilliance. Or looks, including looking younger. Or consuming.

But life is about enjoying it as a gift from God, it’s about intimacy, and seeing others as gifts from God to us. Not to use as things but to love.

Life is about making a difference in life, making life and our marriages and our families and our community and our earth better. To leave your own footprint that you were once here. Tombstones remind us not to forget. But why not leave a living legacy?

That’s why in my retirement (since July 1, 2008) I am still looking for God’s new purposes for me. I think China might be in the mix somehow but still not sure although I’ve come to marvel what is happening in China spiritually. In the meantime, until that comes into focus, there’s some personal growth I’m still seeking and some volunteering that I want to do and definitely some closures I need to get.

7. PRIME - GET CLOSURE WITH GOD.

God has been seeking you all your life to give you His love. He’s already told you He loves you in Christ.

God admires you -- you are a magnificent human being, God says. Instead of running from God, or walking away from God, or turning a deaf ear, why not turn your life to Him and receive His love? You can do that to close this old year and begin the next.

Michelle Akers, one of the greatest woman soccer players who ever lived, said, “When everything has been ripped out of your life (which happened to her), you become very introspective... God needs to be the primary focus in my life and the foundation of who I am.” I like that phrase, “the foundation of who I am.” In 1998 Michelle founded Soccer Outreach International. SOI's goal is "To seek out and inspire kids of all nations to become leaders of quality character, faith, and clear purpose through the game of soccer."

When you get closure with God, to have God be the foundation of your life, you want to get closure in all aspects of your life. I’m not sure I said that right but you get the drift.

Happy closures to you. And me. A Happy Seven to all!