looking back to go forward

Happy 2012!

Can you believe it's a new year...already?  As always, it seems like just yesterday I was sitting down praying and thinking about goals and aspirations for the new year.  Yet, here we are again.

Some major points of 2011 include:

-Chaperone for missions trip in South Dakota & Costa Rica

-Summer Youth Intern at church

-One brother married, and another engaged

-Dad diagnosed with cancer for the second time

-Month of July living in Arizona

-Long weekend with my sis-in-law, Ky, in Seattle & Spokane, WA

-Got back into running

-Mourned the death of Tom & Steph.

-Road tripped across Colorado with my girl, Irene

-Bought a new camera/got more into photography

-Over half way done with college 

Every year has it's ups and downs.  It's challenges and it's victories.

Looking back on 2011 I am reminded of the awesome places God allowed me to go and how he used me.  Mmm makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.  However, I am also reminded of the long, trying nights.  If I'm being honest with myself, and you, 2011 was by far one of the hardest years I can remember.  There were many trying times.  Lots of late, stressful nights.  And way too many tears shed.

But I can't complain. 

I got the chance to live another year.  I grew in ways I can't even begin to explain.  I realized things about myself that I never knew before.  I came to a point in my life that I felt like everything was spinning out of control, but God held it together for me. In 2011 I arrived at my breaking point multiple times.  But looking back I can see God was faithful in getting me through it all. And now that is something to be thankful for.

Okay, so that was 2011.

But now it's 2012, a new year.

Some of my goals include:

-Read the Bible in a year

-Run over 8 miles

-Get paid for my photography 

-Love/bless people through their love language(s)

-Be overly generous 

I'm excited to see what God will do in this next year.  As the saying goes:

"I don't know what my future holds.  But I know who holds my future."

Dad Update:

I know many of you are wondering what on earth happened this week.  Well, let's just say this week has been anything but good and relaxing.  Dad was in severe pain with constriction in his chest, making it very hard to breathe.  When his fingers started going numb, we called 911.  The paramedics were unable to take us to the right hospital so around midnight I drove my parents to the ER.  That night they controlled the pain and ran some tests.  We ended up staying two nights in the ICU because the hospital was full.  They did a procedure where they extracted fluid that was around his lungs (around 1 and a half liters of fluid).  They sent us home with many pain meds and an oxygen tank.  Apparently his oxygen levels were/are very low so he now has to always be hooked up to oxygen.  Therefore, the newest addition to our house is a huge oxygen machine with two portable tanks.  The pain meds have helped reduce the pain greatly but he is very...ummm...well, drugged while taking them.  He is very weak and low on energy.

I think that sums it up for the most part.  It was a really hard, emotional, and stressful week for everyone.  I'm just praying things will settle down in the week to come and God will give clear guidance on what to do next.  Thanks so much for all your continued love, prayers & support! 

"The LORD sits enthroned over the flood" (Psalm 29:10).

I love the visual of God sitting above the floods of our lives.  When the storms are raging He pulls us up out of the waters and sits us with Him.

In this new year I hold onto this promise:

"I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD."

-Psalm 27:13-14 

some pictures of the week: