2010 has come, and is soon to be over... What an interesting and fun year it has been... Many exciting and new things have come our way, and we have been pleased to be a part of them. It has been a year of ups, and downs... but most of all we know that God has again proved faithful with us, even when we haven't always been hanging out with Him as much as we should have. A resolution most Christians make if they are being honest... What is it with resolutions? So many people sit back on this day, or close to this day and look back to the year that has past, and try to make up NEW things that they will 'try to' do better or do at all in the new year ahead.
The new year is actually less than 12 hours away... and we are all gearing up for the party of the year (wherever we may be celebrating it). We are supposed to be thankful for the year we've had and be excited for the new one coming. NEW things are always fun for me... change is a good thing. I am looking forward with great anticipation and expectation for what is going to transpire in 2011. I really would like to not be giving this same speech in 364 more days... 365 more days (whatever).
This year has been a lot of fun and there has been a lot of interesting changes! Through the year memories include...
* The year started off as we rang in the New Year with Ken and Tammy! :D
* 2010 Winter Olympic Fun YAY Canada!! So many Olympic memories, so little time and space. I do love my Olympic Red Mittens though! (Even my hoodie from the last Olympics)
* I am now a REGISTERED Early Childhood Educator (and have to renew that title every year)! YAY GOD! (Basically, each ECE now has to become 'registered' in the College of Early Childhood Education as acknowledgement that it is a 'real job' and not just 'glorified babysitting'. -- just like teachers, doctors, lawyers, etc. Sweet eh?) LOL!
* A 'down' of the year happened in March, when we had to give Uncle Ken back to Heaven. It was a sad time, yet a very peaceful time, as we knew where Uncle Ken stood in his relationship with Jesus! We shall see you soon! (not too soon though) :D
* Mark's position at work changed, as he was promoted to 2nd Assistant Manager (which will flow in with God's plan to use him in the Church as well as in the Marketplace.) He however had to give up his pastoral credentials with the 4C's, as he isn't really involved with a 4C Church anymore, as we happily attend and are a part of Faith Tabernacle. (See more notes regarding Mark's work changes later)
* Teaching and Worship at FTL has been exciting for the both of us... Mark has been a Sunday School teacher, and is a guitarist and back-up singer on the worship team, and also an assistant Worship Leader. I have been a Jr Church Director and Teacher for a while now, but it was a little more exciting this year, as I moved from the 'kids' class to a new 'tweens' class - the 'God Chasers'. It has been a super cool year teaching the 'tweens' from our church and letting them experience God and the Holy Spirit for themselves. I look forward to continuing something with them in the New Year, but I also enjoy teaching the little ones too, so they don't always sit in front of the TV watching videos. We shall see where God wants to take the 'little ones' of Faith.
* In May of 2010, right on Mark's birthday, another driver hit our car (while Mark was driving) and basically it was a write-off due to the airbags inflating and breaking the windshield. So we had to say goodbye to our 'Boo' (Mailbu) -- but in June of 2010 we became the proud owners of a Dodge Caravan. YAY GOD! We are enjoying travelling and driving/riding in our new minivan. Such a difference from a car.
* It was a busy and fun year, as this year we saw our sister (Mark's sister) Shannon get married, and we were all a BIG part of that 'one-day' affair. (a day that lasts forever and ever) We were excited to be the Maid of Honour, and Best Man as well as 'Wedding Co-ordinator' and 'Decorating Co-ordinator'... and alot of other fun jobs that fit into those categories... August 7th, 2010 will go down in history as a fun and interesting day full of love, friends, family and hmmm... no sleep?! LOL! Thanks for the memories everyone.
Speaking of hockey, our NHL challenge is underway, and both our teams are doing fairly well... still an interesting match to watch when Montreal and Boston play. We raise our pillows high and cheer loud!* During summer of 2010 around our 7th Anniversary we got vacation time together... one of the first years that we didn't have any church ministry things to do for our vacation time. (IE Camp, Africa, Retreats, etc) We enjoyed day trips and more... to the Hockey Hall of Fame with Mom & Dad Fletcher, hanging out with my brother and his family, hanging out with our cousins and their family in Stoney Creek, road trips to see beautiful sites and take beautiful pictures (Ben Miller with Mom & Dad Hall), beach fun and MORE.
* Of course we celebrated alot of family & friends (who are like family) birthdays and anniversaries and enjoyed time spent with family and friends.
* I have had many creative endeavours this year, and have begun to tidy my craft area in our home. There is tooo much stuff, so I am still working at it when I have time. I love to stamp, scrapbook, make cards and other papercrafts. Yet I also again picked up my crochet hooks and wool and have started making cute lil' winter hats. This coming year I want to attempt a sweater of some kind. :)
*Christmas -- Phew! What a busy and fun time, as the year is coming to a close, we enjoyed special time with our friends and family. Time together watching movies, playing games, eating treats and yummy dinners, opening presents (shopping for those presents in crazy filled malls) and MORE! What a blessed time celebrating the Saviour's birth. Again I was involved in the church drama production. I was Drama Assistant to our wonderfully talented Director. It was a fun play called 'Arrest These Merry Gentlemen', and our actors did a superb job. Unfortunately Christmas was also a time that I did not get to take snapshots of, as my memory cards were full of all the above memories... LOL!
*Mark's job update-- Well we were excited as his McDonald's was getting some reno's done, and a whole new look outside and inside... however near the end of this month we learned that he is being transferred to another McDonald's. Highbury will no longer be his 'home' away from home. His new workplace will be the McDonald's at Hamilton Road & Highbury as of Jan 3rd. (so you can all visit him there) The NEW McDonald's has the 'Head Office' above the restaurant, and Mark is going to help that McDonald's get up to the AMAZING standards that they worked together to do at Highbury McDonalds. We love CHANGE, and expect God to do great things in and through Mark while he is there! YAY GOD!
... well that brings us to today I guess... Mark is working for 2 more hours, and then we are off to celebrate with our friends (who are like family) for Christmas & New Year's fun!! We enjoy getting together with ALL of them when we can... board games, dinner, treats, presents, and more!!
Today is a GIFT that is why it is called the PRESENT... and we need to cherish each day as it comes. We need to wake up and thank God that we are alive and breathing. If we wake up and are able to breathe, then that is a reminder that God is not finished with us yet! Through all the busyness of the year, and especially during the holiday times, we need to remember the SAVIOUR and what He has done for us. We can be thankful for family, friends, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Thanksgiving, Christmas, tickets to hockey games, etc but we need to thank Him each and every day for all the provisions that He gives. He is the GREAT Healer, Provider, Peacemaker, and whatever we need Him to be for us. Too many times we take more time for other things, and don't take time out for Him. We need to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth ALL year long, not just at church or other worship services. Live a life of worship! Be real... and remember the words of Romans 12:4-21... and live them out!
"In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good."
May God Bless each and every one of you, and may you be also living the life with salvation, and be in expectation of what God is going to do in 2011! It's not too late to ask Him in today...
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing...
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