2011...

Well I have blogging for ONE YEAR!!! I can't believe it's gone so quickly. Sorry I have been a little MIA lately, but I had pneumonia and did not want to move a muscle!

As I sit here, after working one of the most insane shifts of my life, I ponder where I was at at this exact time last year:

• I was sitting at my parents house, that no longer exists
• I was waiting to see my boyfriend, Matt :) 
• I had finished working at a store I no longer work at
• I drove a car I no longer drive (as of yesterday!)
• My hair had about 17 more inches of length
• I was going to ring in the new year with my Noni, who is now in heaven
• I had a year and a half of grad school left 
• I only had one nephew, Hudson and now I have a niece (Avalynne) and a nephew on the way! (Max)

I am sure there are several more differences between 2009 and 2010 but that's all I can think of at the moment :) I always love welcoming in a new year because I don't know what it will bring. I welcome both the struggles and the success.

I remember sitting in a Francis Chan seminar almost 7 years ago (has it been that long?!)  and he posed this question: What if I told you that, during 2011 (I changed the year) your life would be roses. You would have no one die, no sickness, no sadness but only happiness and good things.  However, you would not grow any closer to God.  Now what if I told you that your 2011 would be wrought with hardship and death and illness and difficulty but your relationship with Christ would be second to none. You would grow so much in your relationship with Christ that you are almost a totally different person. What would you choose?  Would you choose the easy, happy route or would you choose the suffering?

Sadly, most (according to his survey) chose the easy road.  But I pray that we would both choose the suffering because Christ is so worth it.

Adios, 2010. It's been a blast. Now bring on 2011!!!