Week 50: A Week to Begin 2012

I cannot believe that it's almost 2012. 2012! Gosh, what a year it has been. I've heard a lot of mixed feelings about 2011. Some people absolutely hated 2011, and actually now that I think of it, I haven't really heard many people say that they loved it. My opinion is that 2011 was a year of growth- not just for me but I think for many of you reading this. I think about how in January of 2011, I was working in Blue Island, was let go from there, moved back home just in time for the passing of my grandma, and took a job in Quincy, MA. That all happened in the first couple months of the year! I made the trek to Quincy with Roxanne, started to get to know the people there, come back home to stand up in multiple weddings, turns out my bosses leave just about a month into me being there, I get a new boss, run a 5K, lose 40 pounds, grow apart from friends, make new ones, change, change, and more change....wow! 2011 was a year of growth, and even though there were many hard things about this year, I have accomplished a lot. I mean, a 5K AND losing 40 pounds? I'm pretty happy with that!

By this point in the game, those of you who have been following this blog for the past year know the attitude I have when looking at life. There are hard times, but I believe that with the right attitude, growth always comes from that. I've also learned this past year the importance of being real, open, honest, and genuine. I continue to be surprised at the comments I get from the posts I put up on this blog that are really honest- the ones where I really lay it all out there. It's like people are drawn to that, to the honesty. It's almost as if it's something people actually crave, but are too fearful to lay it all out there because they don't want to be judged. But then the first sight of someone actually doing that allows them to step out into the light, to bring out into the open those things hidden for so long. Boy, there is so much freedom in doing that.

It's crazy to think that I have only two more weeks of this blog. It's actually kind of sad, but gosh I have grown so much from Week 1. I know that 2012 is going to be a great year. I've had a season of growing, being stretched and challenged for a while now. 2012 is going to be a year of enjoying the benefits of this past season. It will be a year of continued freedom, crazy joy, and new beginnings. I can just feel it with every ounce of my being. I definitely not saying this year will be perfect, but I am saying that this year is going to be the best year of my life yet.

This week I am going to be looking forward to what God has for me this year. Will I make any resolutions this year? I don't think so. The funny thing is that I feel like I've made resolutions almost every week for the past year. I'm always creating goals for myself and moving forward in reaching them. I will continue to lose weight. I want to lose about 60ish more. I want to be done losing weight by the time I go into seminary in the fall. I want to continue having healthy relationships, I'd like to read more, seriously open an Etsy shop with Jen, run another 5K and move on to a 10K, learn guitar, buy a nice camera so I can take on photography as a serious hobby, and start a new blog. I've been thinking and thinking about what type of blog to do next. I've toyed around with the idea of doing a blog on my road to recovery from overeating, weight loss journey, and now active lifestyle. Any ideas or suggestions?

Well, my friends, I pray that tonight instead of cursing this past year and completely tossing it aside, you try and find the good things, the moments that grew you and made you a little bit stronger-a little bit more like the person you want to be. When you wake up tomorrow, it's a new beginning. Anything is possible. Re-invent yourself (let God re-invent you), take a risk

even if it seems silly or weird, do something that you've always wanted to do but fear has stopped you up until now, make amends with someone you've hurt or has hurt you, let yourself fall in love, embrace a season of being single, share your secrets with someone... I plan on doing these things, and I started by... piercing my nose. May seem silly, but it's something I've wanted to do but was a little afraid to do it. What would people think? Would I look funny? Would I be judged by people? Then I went out with friends, said I wanted to do it, and an hour or so later I was sitting in the chair getting another hole in my head : ) The picture is me right after I got it pierced. I did it. And it felt great. For me it was life giving, and I know that there are more decisions like that which I'll make in 2012. Amazing things await all of us in 2012, I just know it.