{ Looking Back at 2010 }

As this year of 2010 draws to a close, I am thinking back over the months. Tim and I have spent the past couple of days looking back over this year and talking about what we would like to do in this coming year. We are marveling at the growth that has taken place in us as we've faced some very challenging times, along with truly amazing experiences. It is absolutely amazing to realize all that has happened in a year.


Naturally the biggest event of all is the birth of Oliver and our entrance into parenthood. We also celebrated our first year of marriage. We traveled, visited and extended hospitality to many, many friends; collected wood for this winter and next; and insulated our home.

I am so grateful for the friends I have made this year. It was about a year ago now that I was invited to join a local mom's group. They were doing a marriage study at the time, so even though I wasn't a mom then, I fit in as a newlywed. Now because of Oliver, I get to stay! (They tell me they would have let me stay regardless.) I have grown closer to the women at our church as well. I so appreciate their wisdom as mothers.

The first part of this year I was struggling so much with living in a new town and felt lonely. I have learned so much about myself and seen God's provision as both Tim and I looked for ways for me to get established. Not all of our efforts were successful, but I probably learned the most from them.

In the spring we started hosting our "High Street Teas" on Sunday afternoons. It was the right time for us and we diligently sought God's will in it and felt His blessing on it. We had a lot of enthusiastic response to the idea, but hardly any attendees. I was frustrated, as I saw it as an effort to "show myself friendly". After several attempts, I began to feel I had "failed". I had to realize that God is pleased with my effort, and it is His responsibility to grant success. It meant a lot to me that I was able to host the Christmas Tea for the mom's group this Christmas.

Along with my struggle to settle in socially, this year has also been marked with financial struggles, but God's wisdom has brought us through. In truly amazing ways, He has met our needs, and provided us with the resources to experience some truly wonderful places.


In May we went on a "babymoon" to Victoria, B.C. I can't do this trip justice by a paragraph-long description, so I will just say it was amazing! Tim took me to a wonderful French restaurant for our anniversary in September. We had eaten at a french restaurant in Victoria and we were equally pleased with both. We have found a new love in french cuisine, as evidenced by the fact that Tim gave me Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I can't wait to put it to use!



At the close of 2010, I think about all the praying we have done, the petitions for help, for guidance, for thanksgiving, and one principle has rung true throughout this year: asking for wisdom. This verse came to my mind this evening, as I was thinking about this year, and it is what I want most to carry into 2011:

If any of you lacks wisdom,
let him ask of God,
who gives to all liberally
and without reproach,
and it will be given to him.
James 1:5

HAPPY NEW YEAR!