Looking Back

I cannot believe it is the end of 2006!! Where has the time gone?! I can recall Y2K and everyone's nervousness with that. I can even remember '98, or was it '99, when I watched the ball go down in Times Square for the first time. And here it is 2007! Wow!

As I look back at all that has happened this year, I can thank the Lord for being there every step of the way. Now, for those of you who know me very well, you would know that this year was not as hard as previous ones! (Thank goodness!) Yet, there have been ups and downs. Let's look back at some of those together.

I didn't get into the blogging world until March, so in February, I celebrated my 16th birthday. I agree with Mom; it seems impossible. I think it's because I look 12 or something. This was the year when I received my beautiful hopechest, made with love by Dad and Garrity. (Of course I cried when I got it!) How thankful I am to the Lord for blessing me with 16 years, and I am excited to see what He is going to do in the many years to come!

March was a highlight because I did get into blogging. Yes, I have to be cautious on the internet, but I love that I have made some like-minded friends. I know friends come and friends go, but you all mean a lot to me.

This year found my family seeing both sets of grandparents. Dad's were here in May; we went up to Montana in July. Even though I differ with them in matters of religion and politics, I am so thankful that they are alive! By God's grace, I have never been to a funeral, and I don't have itchy feet for one any time soon! Yes, both visits had their issues, but I think the good outweighs the bad, or at least, I hope it tries to.

Various other occurrences this year have been all the harvesting we have had to do....Doing MANY things with our church family....Going to the D.'s and L.'s for Thanksgiving and Christmas...Mom and I going to the Philharmonic every month....It has all been fun. (Though I am glad that fruit isn't growing right now! :-)

However, life wouldn't be complete without its hardships. I lost Melody this year. I had some...hmm...what word to use....interesting friendship stuff happen. I quit the bi-weekly get together. It was rough when it all happened. You can't know how many tears I cried. Yet, they are gone now. After you are able to look at a situation sensibly, you can see that it was all for the best. I have Juliet now, and who knows, maybe I can train her to ride on Nikki's back or something:-) The friendship stuff showed me that those weren't the best friends for me. Now, I can't say they would've led me done wrong avenues, but I can't say they wouldn't have either. No doing the get together has opened up my schedule a little more, enabling me to concentrate on schoolwork and I hope to start a group of my own.

This post seems like a Thanksgiving post, and maybe it is. But I don't see how one can look back over the past year and not be thankful. I am not here saying that a relative died or things like that. I know that there are people who could do that, and I am thankful not to be one of them. So, I close the book on 2006. If I had to give it a title, I think it would be: God is Faithful, and How Great is He! For that is what I have seen in my life this past year. God bless, and I will see you in the book entitled: 2007--God is at the Controls; Enjoy the Adventure!