The End of Another Year! Beginning of a New!

Hello, New Year, staring me down like a hungry lion staring at all the people walking by his cage at the zoo. If 2018 couldn't flatten me, I know you jolly well can't either.

This year has been full of fullness. A lot of ups, downs, and sidewayses occurred. That's life!

I got to spend Christmas up in the northern parts of California/southern parts of Oregon where it's cold, snowy, and Christmassy. It was a great time to reflect on the centerpiece of all Christianity: Christ's Birth...the free gift to mankind of reconciliation between God and sinners.

2018 has no doubt been a year to remember. I landed a great internship and later, a great job. I almost lost someone very dear to me, but was granted more time--time which I have not since taken for granted! I have laughed heartily, cried solemnly, sang wholeheartedly, wrote thoughtfully, grew slowly, adventured excitedly, prayed fearfully, and verbed so adverbily that it makes this paragraph a little tedious to proofread, so I hope its all correct.

My band got to travel some more this year; that's something I will NEVER EVER grow tired of doing and will always hunger for more. I never take it for granted that people forget about bands all the time, musicians fade into oblivion very quickly, but 2018 marked the 11TH YEAR that my siblings and I have stood side-by-side making music for crowds large and small across America. Thank you, Lord!

This past year does come with a few regrets, though. There exists a couple small projects which I could not finish, friends with whom I've lost contact, and goals which I've not met. Being one who has never enjoyed failure, detested it even, these things always sting where it hurts most.

It has well been said, "If you wish to move forward and are not looking where you are going, you are moonwalking", which I think might be a Michael Jackson quote, or perhaps Boris Yeltsin. I get the two mixed up, but whichever one said it, they sure were right! While moonwalking into the New Year would sure be a lot of fun, it's important to watch where you're going lest you accidentally trip over somebody and cause minor injuries (and who would want to chalk up THAT regret so fresh in the New Year?).

Another great Boris Jackson quote is "You can either learn from the past, or run from it," and that's for SURE something you will want to carry into this coming year, whether or not you've even seen any of Michael Yeltsin's movies.

I see a lot of complaints about the outgoing year each time December 31st comes around. It kinda saddens me. An outgoing year is rich with lessons learnt, memories treasured, and by definition, nouns verbed in the past tense so much, you can carry all the value with you into the coming year to help you towards the better you you've always wanted to be.

So here's to our coming year. We don't know what it holds yet, and that's admittedly exciting and terrifying simultaneously. This is your call to rise up like the warrior you are and charge forward.

Philippians 3
13  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,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.