The Year That Was (2010)

My first post of the new year.

I'll be honest, I was going to put a lot of effort into writing something deep but I am too tired.  I've been up way too late and way too early the last few days.  That's actually a good thing.  I haven't had a lot of sleep because I've been hanging out with a lot of new people until crazy hours of the night.  That's a sacrifice I'm willing to make to cultivate some new friendships.  So, instead of some great philosophical exposition on the nature of humankind or prognostications on the new year, I'm just going to talk about 2010.

It was a good year.  There's no point going into great detail about my life in 2010 before October (when I started my blog) because if I really felt the need to share it all I would have started blogging in January.  Instead I want to share how my life on January 1st, 2010, is different from my life Dec 31st, 2010.  It's like comparing black to white.  I am really not happy with how my life was 1 year ago today.  God has changed me a lot and I am incredibly grateful.  I can't wait do this again at the end of 2011 and see how God has continued to work in me.

Jan 1st, 2010

I lived in Northern Canada about 3 weeks of every month.

I went to church once a month, maybe.

No extra curricular activities.

I did not socialize or hang out with anyone when I was home one week each month.

I can't remember the last time I played guitar.

I rarely prayed.

I did not read my bible.

I played video games all the time.

I watched way too many movies and way too much tv.

I did not have a foster child.

I was not growing spiritually at all.  (Kinda goes without saying)

I made no effort to overcome the negatives of my shy, introverted personality.

Dec 31st, 2010

I live in the place I call home.

I go to church as much as possible.
(Sometimes to 2 different churches on the same day.)

I started getting involved in C&C.

I started attending prayer and solitude retreats.

I started attending morning prayer meetings.

I am looking for a small group to be involved in.

I've gone to different worship events throughout the city.

I've been going out with people and hanging out at people's homes and parties.

(Hence, the lack of sleep lately.)

I've helped with worship.

I play my guitar quite regularly, although mostly in my room.

I hardly watch tv or movies outside of social gatherings.

I pray all the time.

I still have to work at reading my bible, but I am making the effort.

I sold my Wii and all (37) games.

I'm learning to snowboard.
I'm going to Montana to snowboard in the mountains.  (ROAD TRIP!)

I have a foster child.

My relationship with Jesus is growing deeper.

(I don't really like to think about where my spiritual life was at the beginning of the year.)
I am giving of myself, my time, my abilities, my finances.

I am pushing myself to come out of my shell, to be with people, to socialize.  It hasn't always been successful but it has been overwhelmingly great.  Sometimes it is still a struggle, but I will not surrender to it.

Life is really good.  I mean really, really good.
When I think of the things that are most important to me now, almost none of them were a part of my life 2 or 3 months ago.  I am so grateful for C&C and church and times of prayer, wherever they may be, and times for goofing around and the beginnings of friendships I hope will grow much, much deeper.  These are all things that were almost non-existent in my life January 1st but are foundational in my life December 31st.

Thank You Lord.