Well I suppose now that we're into the second week of January I should probably pull together a review of the past year. It was an 'interesting' year. There were plenty of good things, but I'd put myself in the category of people drained by the election process. Who knows what next year will hold.
2016 saw us change churches for the first time since I quit pastoring. We also left the small group at the old church, but started meeting with Tom and Kim for weekly Bible Study, and serving in a mission group at the new church.
Physically I did my usual downward slide as the winter months approached. I went through a phase of drinking waaaay too much earlier in the year and through summer, and I drank harder than I probably have ever before. Fortunately I am out of that and I feel pretty good now - both physically and mentally/emotionally.
I'm reading less now than at the start of the year, and also doing less personal introspection. I think it's good for me to just live for awhile. I'm feeling pretty relaxed right now.
So, here are some of the highlights gleaned from my monthly posts through last year:
JANUARY
- I guess I did set down some "goals" - or, rather "rhythms" - I wanted to practice through the year. I did finish reading through the Bible (again), and Jane and I are still praying together on a nightly basis. I stuck with exercise and eating right for awhile, and I still eat pretty good, but I have been a real slug when it comes to exercise lately. I haven't done much of anything since October, and it shows.
- I left the weekly pastor's breakfast I'd been attending for 16 years. I still meet with Tom once a week, so I haven't felt too out of touch.
- I updated our home computer (laptop) to Windows 10.
- Anna turned 5.
- I was reading (and blogging) Michael Frost's 'Jesus the Fool: The Mission of the Unconventional Christ.'
- Denver beat Carolina in the Super Bowl. We watched the commercials at Mike's.
- We did our first Candida Cleanse, and I lost 8 lbs. in 7 days.
- I shaved off my beard of 1 1/2 years growth.
- Jane made a trip to Buda.
- We got a new dishwasher.
- Jane once again had a birthday on the 27th.
- I was reading (and blogging) Jen Hatmaker's ' 'Interrupted: When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity.'
- I read John Steinbeck's classic 'East of Eden' in 2 weeks.
- Jane, Carrie and I ran the Fort Wayne Firefighters 5-Kilt/Get Green Fest 5k.
- We bought a new TV for the basement: a 48" Insignia HDTV with built in Roku.
- I made up a schedule of races/runs for the year.
- Jane started working at the Central Branch YMCA as an enrollment specialist. This was after quitting her job at the bank in Dec. 2015.
- My parents came for Easter and we went to Tom's church.
- Isaac took a trip to NYC for school.
- I wrote this post on the foundational elements of a church (was looking for this the other day).
- I started reading Michael Frost's 'Surprise the World! The Five Habits of Highly Missional People.'
- I made my first children's picnic table out of pallets (the yellow one we still have).
- I bought a sawzall.
- I continued reading (and blogging) Michael Frost's 'Surprise the World! The Five Habits of Highly Missional People.'
- I attended probably my last Midwest Region Conference Convention. It was held in Muncie, IN, and Jane was there with me.
- I mowed the lawn for the first time on the 17th, and that is also when we decided to hire out our fertilization/care to Spring-Green.
- We saw the Dave Rawlings Machine, with Gillian Welch, in Bloomington, IN (our first trip there).
- Caleb turned 2 years old.
- I started reading Eugene Peterson's 'Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading.'
- I bought a new Skil circular saw.
- We got water in our basement for the first time since we'd lived there. It was a brief nightmare but it resulted in having the basement redone on insurance money.
- We started church shopping again.
- Isaac visited for several days.
- Jane and I celebrated our 33rd year of marriage.
- Anna graduated from preschool.
- I took my annual coaching class in Findlay, OH: MCS 508 class: The Coach Approach to Evangelism & Discipleship. It was taught by Brian Miller.
- I continued reading (and blogging) Eugene Peterson's 'Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading.'
- Son Isaac turned 28.
- Jane and I spent a week in Myrtle Beach for vacation. We drove. I read two John Steinbeck books: 'The Pearl,' and 'The Moon Is Down.'
- Daughter Carrie turned 31.
- We stopped attending our small group at Grace.
- We decided on C2G as our new church home.
- Jane and I ran the Ribfest 5k.
- Drew's grandpa died.
- Tom and I closed the 'Elevate Coach' account.
- This is apparently when I stopped blogging about books I was reading.
- Jane and I ran the Runners On Parade 5k.
- We went to Sheffield's 'Music on Main' and Jane, Carrie and I ran the 5k that morning. We also went to the Silo and Brothers, as well as visiting family.
- Isaac and Ricci visited.
- We started serving with the team of people at our church who make and serve food to the homeless and under-served at the library.
- I found out I was being sued for something at work that I didn't have anything to do with (and it's still going on).
- We bought a 2nd twin bed for $150 (new).
- Allison and Greg came for a visit.
- Drew Carrie went to Atlanta for the weekend to see Isaac and Ricci. We kept the kids.
- ANNA STARTED KINDERGARTEN.
- Jane started working full-time at the YMCA, as Records & Receipts Specialist at the Metro office.
- I bought a new pair of running shoes. Another pair of Adidas.
- Bennett started preschool.
- I attended my first "Grandparents Day," at Anna's school.
- Jane, Carrie and Anna met my mom in Bloomington, IL for the weekend.
- I ran my 4th half-marathon. Jane did her 3rd.
- Bennett turned 4.
- My parents came for Bennett's birthday.
- Jane and I ran the River City Rat Race 10k.
- We got a new garbage disposal unit.
- I had my 54th birthday.
- We spent the weekend in Atlanta with Isaac & Ricci.
- We saw Joe Bonamassa at the Embassy
- Drew Carrie went to Florida for the weekend and we kept the kids.
- Bennett's first Christmas program at preschool.
- Isaac, Ricci and the 2 dogs spent some time with us up until Christmas Day.
- Anna participated in the Christmas Eve service at St. Pauls.
- Drew Carrie and kids went to my parents on Christmas Day. We did not.
