This year I learned to…
Train a dog.
Start putting structure to life for living more successfully with ADHD. I’ve still got a long way to go.
I grew most in…
Through selftalk, seriously wounding my sense of entitlement. Choosing joy. Paying attention to the many things I have to be grateful for – and writing it down nearly every single da y- what great memories I’m going to have of a (frankly) less than stellar year.
Another way I saw myself growing was…
Getting my head our to the sand. Going to a load of doctors and being proactive and persistent about my health and building my immune system.
A Scripture verse, passage or book that was important to me was…
John 17:4 new fav verse
“I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”
One of my best adventures was…
Armed escort to the conference in Upper Egypt.
Working with a bunch of Christian friends in theatre and putting on a couple of workshops – seeing them come together and the exciting espirit-des-corps.
I loved coaching Agapella on their stage presence for their birthday concert.
I saw/knew God was doing something when…
Tyler decided to stay at ICS and not apply to SAS after reading Ryan Dobson’s book: BE INTOLERANT. I was sure he’d choose to change, and that would mean we’d not see much of him anymore.
A real gift from God was…
Vivien’s non-blood transfusion turn around in cancer treatments - looks healed from Lymphoma.
My mom being well enough to go home from surgery after only 2 days in the hospital (instead of the 7 they’d told her to expect).
Something I really enjoyed doing more of was…
Speaking & praying positive affirmation and blessings over the boys in the mornings – for a season (until they begged me to stop!)
Less of… cooking (startetd eating at foodcourts for dinner)
One of the happiest memories I’d like
to freeze in my mind…
1. Seeing puppy Jack in the pet shop for the first time. It was love at first sight after a 6 month search.
2. Tyler and Cameron actually happy to see each other after a summer apart.
I was really brave when…
I stopped teaching drama clubs and stepped down from involvement in a creative project that caused unnecessary stress. It’s the first time I can remember quitting something in a long time and loyalty is one of my highest values.
I’m still trying to learn what God
wants to teach me through this hard experience:
I would have said the 4 month experience of wrestling with Apple’s MobileMe that I set up to help organize my life by synching phone and computer remotely. It made things worse…way worse before it got better. But then, I finally realized that God was trying to teach me that I was making an idol out of the ideal of “getting it all together,” I needed to admit that I never will and make it a matter of trusting God to help navigate each day of life despite anyone’s best efforts is messy, disorganized and impossible to do perfectly. (Still, I’m thankful it’s working now!)
So,instead I’ll say: that last year was a series of one kind of illness/weakness after another including 12 trips to the dentist for a root canal/toothache.
The best word of advice or encouragement I can remember…
Simon Murhpy’s Redemption Hill Church Sermons
Among them:
“Don’t base your understanding of God’s delight in you by your life’s circumstances. That’s KARMA. You’ll ride an emotional rollercoaster basing your confidence in God’s love on fleeting, earthly, temporal enjoyments and blessings from his hand rather than the sweetness and joy of having Almighty God be our Father and the sacrifice it took for him to make that happen.” (Jonah ch 4), July 5th.
“we’re all wired with a religious default: IF YOU DO, THEN GOD WILL…, when the truth is: GOD DID, SO WE RESPOND” Sept 13th.
“On our worst days in this life, it’s the closest we’ll ever get to hell…Whereas, for those who haven’t submitted to our Savior Jesus and Almighty God, their best days here are the closest they’ll ever get to heaven” November 8
LOOKING BACK
The Guys Reflecting on 2009…
This year I learned to…
CAMERON: Text message faster
TYLER: Psychology
A Scripture verse, passage or book
that was important to me was…
JAMES: Living for God or yourself? 2 Corinthians 5:15
Something I really enjoyed doing more of was…
CAMERON: friends from school playing football at SACAC
TYLER: Being outdoors more – beach camping and working in the Rocky Mountains for a month.
JAMES: Preaching in churches. Seeing people learn and grow through the topics covered in Focusing Leaders.
One of the happiest memories I’d like
to freeze in my mind…
CAMERON: Beating dad and Tyler on the xbox
TYLER: Touchdown pass against the Oilers with grandparents watching. Cameron being given a balloon at McDonalds.
JAMES: The congregation worshipping at Redemption Hill Church.
I was really brave when…
CAMERON: Jumping off the high dive at Telunas.
TYLER: Endured a Long layover in the Beijing airport with nothing to do but honors English reading.
Something I’m looking forward to in this new year…
CAMERON: watching another season of “24”
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