Today we close the book on another year. A year, like any other, that had its fair share of highs and lows, lessons learned, and memories we will not soon forget.
It is typically on this New Year’s Eve that we look back upon what was before turning our attention on what will be. Many of us will take time to think back on the things we learned, the people we lost, and the things we wished we had done better.
All of us gained something out of 2014. All of us are different because of what we experienced this year. It is difficult to traverse 365 days and not be impacted and changed by what we saw, what we did, and what we experienced.
In the tradition of looking back here are 10 things I learned from 2014:
1: Things are not always as difficult as they may appear. Things are not always as simple as they may appear.
2: Diet Cokes are not as healthy as you would like to believe.
3: Seeing a community grow closer to God is one of the biggest joys in ministry.
4: Watching Mickey Mouse is good for the soul.
5: You cannot be fruitful if you are always looking over your shoulder and in the past.
6: Extroverts need quiet time to thrive.
7: To paraphrase a line from one of my favorite television shows, “you are always living the first paragraphs of your obituary.” Make your life count.
8: Friends are the ones who are the same towards you in the good times and the difficult.
9: French fries are a toddler’s best friend.
10: Life is never a bore.
Shannon Blosser 