2013....in review

I cannot say whether 2013 was unusually short or long. 

Profound thought, I know.

But truly, I am satisfied with the year God gave us! The surprise blessings were bountiful...what with the pleasing weather year-round, the weddings, parties, births, and family times. Plus our travels in Canada 2013...it was in fact, a most unusual year! 

And yet it wasn't overwhelmed by festive occurrences; when I glance over my calendar I see many days of regular routine. I can't think of any big happenings in store for 2014...but only time will tell. 

My goal  in this post is to simply highlight the NEW, unexpected happenings of 2013...I have a love for good surprises. 

Just think: we start the year with no idea what will happen in it! And then God gives us so many wonderful times with family and friends. (note: I am not avoiding the truth that oftentimes God gives us hard times. And lessons. There are always plenty of those. And I definitely do not believe that a person is less blessed by God when He gives them trials. 

on the contrary...I'd rather have trials and draw closer to God than easy times and not know Him better...)

These are the photographed, big, social surprise blessings of the year:

(I realize I cannot begin to chronicle the unseen, personal lessons and blessings God gave me throughout the year)

JANUARY:

-Brought a Moroccan tea party to the Burnses' house for a ladies evening together

FEBRUARY:

-Redid our dining room floor and walls...the result:

we danced instead of playing paintball at the paintball event:

APRIL:

-Helped make food and serve it at Sara and Owen's wedding in Canada

-attended Sara and Owen's wedding

-visited the thousand islands area in Ontario Canada

MAY:

-Met Melissa and Jordan

-and Mrs. Thomas

-Spent an entire day shopping with friends, and did the thing this business-like shopper never before allowed herself to do at a thrifstore: 

wasted time adorning ourselves with crazy clothes we'd never buy! Except in my case, I DID buy this Indian outfit. NO criticisms allowed. It was ON SALE. for 5 dollars. And I love  wearing it :)

JUNE:

-Darcie's shower

JULY

moved a MASSIVE pile of (FREE! gotta love it.) mulch from the front driveway to the back gardens

spent 4th of July with friends in Forest Park (...in Forest Park with friends)

-attended Jeremy and Darcie's wedding

went blueberrying with friends (Bridges and Heads)

AUGUST:

-went to the Wong's home

-Jeremy and Darcie's dance reception

SEPTEMBER:

-Paddleboating at Forest Park

-Digging our pond with a ''digger thing''

-Canoeing

...and swimming again! (ahhh!!! :))

- attending Kate and Mark's wedding

OCTOBER:

-Party at the Martins'

-Harvest dance

NOVEMBER:

-Thanksgiving with Burns

PLUS....

-listening to Paul Washer for the first (and second and third....) time

-We began going to RCA!

-hearing of the courtship of several dear friends

...of course, every birthday's THEME and exactly what happens on the birthday is a pleasant surprise....but that would make this post extremely LONG.

So I will end this pleasant post of memories.

I am SO GRATEFUL to GOD for granting us these times.

He didn't have to. 

He doesn't have to.

Yet He did.

He continues to.

Thoughts for Thanksgiving

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

 For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations."

Even when life seems difficult, I have to admit that God has been gracious beyond anything that we could EVER deserve. Throughout the year, we all need to remember what blessings the Lord has bestowed on us. 

A couple years ago, I started a simple tradition of writing a list at the opening of the year of all the good things I was looking forward to that year. (not necessarily goals that I had to work towards accomplishing, although that certainly is good; just moments I was looking forward to.) At the close of each year, I have been astonished by the dozens of surprises God gave us the past year that I had no idea He would. Do it; try writing down all that God has done in your year...! You will never finish. Because of course there are blessings in disguise as well. I also include these in my list at the end of the year. The lessons learnt, trials overcome, chastenings sent, etc. Sometimes, those are the greatest blessings of all. Because what really matters is growing in the Lord, and learning more about Him. 

I hope you have found much to be thankful for this year! 

Studying history always really opens my eyes to what I have to be grateful for in my life, and what is required of me in my future as a citizen of a presently peaceful land. Both of those aspects are overwhelming. I know I'm a little late in learning all this, but the full impact of what it means to have so much at our fingertips hit me.All my life it was a thought in the back of my mind however, this year as my family friends and I have discussed together, I saw how much has been invested in we young people....and that we can't let it go to waste. When I think of all that the Reformers and Pilgrims (and the Christians before them!) went through to honor God's truths....and how we so often take everything we have so easily for granted....we must not continue in apathy! We must be grateful for what God has given us and use it wisely- to glorify and honour Him!

I am thankful for.....

.....Where God has placed me in life.....and who He has placed me with!.....

                                     

                                           November 2012

My family June 2012

....My friends...and people in general!....(too numerous to picture here!!!)

My closest friends: my siblings! November 2012


....opportunities to learn from great Christians and to grow up with like-minded people...

...good books...

....costumes....

....times to enjoy God's marvelous creation...

And.....need I continue? Because I could! 

But instead, I will ask you what things you are especially thankful for today! 

I will share more about what I loved about this year....at the beginning of the next one, like I usually do!  :)

Have a blessed Thanksgiving. I'd love to hear about what you did to celebrate God's goodness!