2010 - Reflections, etc

Its good to reflect if simply to learn from our past experiences. Sometimes we reflect to revel in our past experiences and sometimes we just wish to forget. I guess Dec 31st is a great time to do all of this - though this can be done at any point of the year. There were many milestones this year for me: I finally started working at a job I like - (its not perfect, but its doable); we had a wonderful time at our family reunion in Jamaica (so wonderful, everyone wants to do it again real soon); a third child took a gap year before starting college (totally new and unconventional for us - we were hanging by the seat of our pants; the child really has embraced this experience and seems better for it); three semi-grown children trying to find their way in this world using their faith as their guide post (this is huge!). Of course my brother died this year on my son's 20th birthday, and this has affected each person in ways that I cannot express. For me it was the start of this blog.

I learned the importance of family - my immediate family gives me stability, comfort, and joy when all around it seems that things aren't going right. My extended family reminds me that we shouldn't take each other for granted even if we don't always see eye to eye. We need to allow room for growth and change; and if that doesn't happen - we shouldn't hold it against them.

This year social media exploded - facebook, twitter, jamdom. It seems that these mediums do more harm than good - alienating the ones that are closest to us. We seem to spend more time communicating on these mediums instead of the flesh and blood that's nearby. Are the friends on Facebook really your friends? would you have followers in real life? how can anyone play a game for eight hours? These are all ridiculous actions that have become normal with the increase use of social media.

Friendships are important also - nurture them according to the friend. For some it might be a weekly phone call for others its periodic updates that seem like yesterday when you last spoke. Friendships are like the flowers in a garden - some require lots of water, some need lots of sun and some are hardy and will thrive under the worse conditions. I've appreciated the beauty of friendship this year.

So while we look back, lets not stay there. Lets do like the apostle Paul in Phil 3: 13, 14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.