2011 Thoughts

I saw this on my friend's blog, and I wanted to take a stab at putting some of my jumbled thoughts about 2011 in a post.  So, here goes!

What is one truth you learned? The most important and heart-rending truth I learned last year is that all of God's judgements are right, pure, holy, true and just (Psalm 19:7-10, John 5:30) ....and in the midst of His judgements, He's infinitely compassionate.

What is something that you are proud of? Something I'm proud of is taking tiny, small baby steps to use my voice, my singing voice that God gave me, more and not being so self conscious about it. I'm learning to be proud of the voice that God gave me and learning to like singing in front of people.

What was the hardest thing of the year? Probably the hardest thing of the year was seeing my children try to live and thrive in a horrible, unhealthy, abusive situation and thinking we were going to have to live that way forever.

What is something you changed to improve the way you live? This one was easy! The single most important change that happened last year was getting out and away from the horrible, terrible, unhealthy, abusive living situation we were in!!! And being brave enough to cut off family relationships that were sucking the life out of us and breaking our spirits.

What was your favorite art or culture discovery? Well, just for fun, one of my favorite and frivolous discoveries was Agatha Christie, who my dear mother-in-law introduced me to! As far as culture, I guess I'm not very cultured at all! Ha.

What was something new that you discovered? This one is easy! Something new I discovered this year was Red Leaf Coffeehouse!!! Everyone knows how much I adore blended coffee drinks, and the drinks and staff at Red Leaf make stars come out of my eyes!!!!

What was the one experience you appreciated the most? I don't know if it qualifies as an "experience", but I most appreciate the Lord working through my husband to get us out of the dark and deathly living situation in which we were living for so long.

What was the biggest surprise from God? Can I have two answers on this one? Hey, it's my blog and I can do that if I want!! Ha.  Really, one of the things that surprised me the most was that everything that God has asked me to go through the past two years is working for my glory in Eternity....and also, rediscovering that people like to hear me sing, and it's okay to accept their compliments and really knowing that if people gush over my voice it doesn't mean I'm conceited or proud or wanting others to look at me.

What is something that inspired you? Something that inspired me last year would probably be watching other Christian women singing on stage and sharing their amazing voices and their warm anointing with others with God-given confidence, and discovering, as I watched them, that that is my passion and that I could do that too, as I let God work through me and speak through me.  I have wanted to sing to others in a concert setting for a couple of years now and just getting more and more restless to do that! I became aware a couple of years ago that as I watched singers on stage, that a passion and a drive rose up within me, more than ever before, to do the same thing, and just knowing in my heart that I could do that too....

We will see what 2012 holds!!