Reflections 2008

So 2008 is coming to an end, and instead of making a long list of resolutions I probably won't keep, I'm going to focus on the memories, the highlights - the moments (good and bad) I'll remember from this year...

• Leading a girls group through Beth's Daniel study and finally becoming comfortable praying in a group setting!
• The opening of South Tulsa LifeChurch - so exciting!
• BodyPump workouts at Crossroads Church every Tuesday and Thursday for 7 months... challenging, but fun - exercise is always more fun with a group
• The Office or movie watching nights w/Mark and Natalie every Thursday... lots of fun while it lasted, but for many reasons, it gradually phased out.
• Mom and Dad sold the house where I'd lived since 3rd grade. Sadness. But they moved to a nice new house less than a mile away!
• Feb. 1st - inviting Bobbi to the Kelly/Reba concert (LOVE them both!!) and hanging out with her for the first time!
• Helping Natalie clean her old apartment as she was moving
• A sucky Valentines - left alone by friends who'd just become a couple; then finding out Daniel was hospitalized and in a coma =(
• Spent my birthday with the fam =) Our last night at the 9121 house in the Mary Engelbreit bedroom. :(
• Next day, saw Daniel & his family at the hospital; he died later that night and Grandad Doc died that day minutes later. (And then I ate a fourth of the leftover Merritt's cake Natalie had gotten for my birthday earlier that night at Elephant Bar... yep, emotional eating is not a myth.)
• Being touched by the depth of friendship between Dad, Bill, Bill, and Rick as we all attended the funeral for Rick's son, and a day later, the funeral for Dad's dad.
• Attending an Oscar Party - finally a use for my Hollywood knowledge! ;)
• My fav contestant was David Archuleta on American Idol - he was robbed!
• Messaged two old friends to apologize.  Z called weeks later, we had coffee and talked and forgave each other, and I finally have peace there. S and I tried to reconnect, but accepted that we have little in common now.  Both friendships were too damaged to be restored at this point, but I'm thankful to have more peace.
• Got bored and tried my first abstract painting, then did several after that!
• Sent his mom a letter doing all I could to leave things at peace; received a cold but civil response.  Letting it go.
• Read entire Left Behind series, including the prequels. That's sixteen 400-page books, and it was exciting to the very end!!
• Rach's 3-week stint as a waitress at Santa Fe :)
• Being stranded (w/Sprite spilled all over me from the mini-wreck) at the IXL fire station w/Judge Golden after our Okemah trial... such a funny day!
• Dog-sat for Piper Classen. :) Decided having a dog all the time isn't really something I want right now
• Reconnected w/Morgan after reading her devotional emails... always uplifting
• Worked with Switch youth from May to August; left because I was uncomfortable with the direction they were going with it
• Painted Blake's dorm room w/Mom and JB
• Touring the Sapulpa Historical Museum w/Paul (interning at courthouse for summer) -- so random! :)
• Read Waking the Dead, my favorite book ever. LOVE JOHN ELDREDGE. Seriously.
• OnePrayer series at LifeChurch, really awesome.
• Decorating for At The Movies, Mom helping me paint huge canvas!
• Started meeting w/Angie, Bobbi, and Hannah for accountability/reading/prayer. So wonderful.
• Started this blog! =)
• Made scrapbooks, signs, sacks, etc. for Emily's Cheer squad!
• San Antonio trip w/Rach... SeaWorld during Hurricane Dolly; watching My Boys and eating ice cream in our hotel room when we could've been doing a zillion other things :), Riverboat ride; RM pretending to be engaged and having to answer several questions - so hysterical!!
• Beijing Olympics - opening ceremonies, Michael Phelps, Shawn Johnson!
• John Bevere at Victory then mini-Bible study at Merritts w/Morgan Elizabeth; so great!
• Prayer group for our country and the elections w/Kristin, Tara, Dave, Brenden, etc. (at my house or at the park) -- awesome.
• Joined running group w/Bobbi and Angie
• Ran first 5k race with them... yay!
• My first Remnant project... such a great group.
• Painted Batina's nursery and Emersyn's room =)
• Obama elected president
• Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on SNL = hilarious.... "Maverick!"
• Running early in the morning in the rain w/Bobbi - ahh, memories
• Crying over Blake at Changie's Lifegroup and them laying hands on me in prayer; soooo meaningful
• Wrote Blake an encouraging letter
• Carrie Underwood concert 
• Billy Joe Daugherty = integrity. 
• Passing out campaign flyers w/TL and K-Lamb ...love them!
• Patriarchs study w/Ruth's Lifegroup... love Beth, and love that group!
• After several meetings and talks, started a new singles Lifegroup, co-leading it with Kristin and Bobbi!
• LOTR movie nights w/TL and K-Lamb... such spiritually powerful movies... getting an image of the power in letting go of strongholds that poison me
• Helping Mom decorate the new house for Christmas!
• Driving around looking at Christmas lights w/Mom and Dad, listening to The Emmanuel CD
• Reading Mere Christianity and recognizing that I need to surrender more fully to God
• Growing w/God through the year's highs and lows, learning to trust Him better, and wanting to live with more purpose and passion than I have been!!

"One life on earth will soon be past;

Only what's done for Christ will last."