2016 year in review or you gotta know when to hold 'em

 I'm 5 days into 2017 and I haven't been able to write my year-in-review blog.... because 2016 was kinda blah.

It was the worst of times; it was the best of times.

We experienced a lot of loss and a lot of gain.

I found a lot of mercy and healing as well as a lot of disappointment in people I thought I could depend on. I sang Kenny Rogers "you've gotta know when to hold them, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run" many times to myself. I haven't felt especially inspired and yet the art that I've set out into the world is still out there doing its thing. My blog was shared on the American Speech-Language and Hearing Associations website (super cool) and I was featured on the Nerdist site this year (also super cool). This blog has gotten more hits this year than ever before (say wha?!?!)

I've never second-guessed myself as much as I have this year and yet I just had to keep on keepin' on.

I've gotten more answers to managing my allergies. I've figured out how to plan meals and budget properly (sad I know it's taken so long). 

But I think there's something to be said for breaking bad habits, finding healing, walking away when you need to, standing firm when you must. Sometimes the "being" part of "be still" is a battle.

And still I can say I've seen the Lord's hand in the mundane everyday... in the stress of work... in the exhaustion of being a working mom... He is still there. And that's amazing to me. 

I've made some changes and maintained  some standards this year. Some days it was enough just to brush my teeth. 

I'm also not very inspired about 2017. I'm battle worn but still in the fight. Three words keep coming to me: "awaken," "new" and "hope". Not even sure why.

However, I am of the very firm opinion that we need to be a little inconvienced for Jesus this year. I think we need to be bothered by the social injustice that surrounded us last year. I think we're gonna have to advocate a little louder and learn about issues and sub cultures who have been wounded by the Church.

So where is this all headed? I have no idea. But I know in Whom I trust and Who calls the stars by name. 

So like so many times before, I pray Jehoshaphat's prayer: "O Lord, we don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you." (2 Chronicles 20)

May we find Jesus in every place we go...

May we love like Jesus loves...

May we be the light in dark places...

Amen