a look back at 2010.in pictures and some words.

January: MONSTERJAM (the best redneck $15 you've ever spent) with Maura, Jess, Angela, and Ross.  I did lots of neighborhood research around Ogelthorpe University for UACP.  I made a new friend at a Habitat for Humanity build in my neighborhood. Looking back at the pages of my journal, January was a month of conviction of my habits, attitudes, and lack of discipline.
My Dad interviewed for a position in Atlanta.  I drove myself to the ER over a bacterial infection in my thumb (don't worry, it's all better now.)

February:  On the first of the month, I started a new position at work.   Training for the ING half marathon ramped up.  Presidents' Day weekend brought a white blanket.  I got internet at my house (bringing with it a new dimension of time management challenges).  I learned a lesson involving a late [school] night at the brickstore pub. I also learned that my dear friend Erin Leigh would be moving to NYC (bittersweet, anyone?).  A relationship which I had prayed for reconciliation was restored.  I am so thankful for that restoration. Started reading "When I Don't Desire God" by John Piper.  I was reading in John 14 and also wrote down Habakkuk 3:17-18.

March: My dear friend Sarah (above) visited for her spring break.  I simply adore this girl. What a treat to play hostess and show her around Atlanta.  She is getting married on April 2!!  I made a new friend, "Beth" (see my blog post), who has become a dear friend of mine.  Her children (one is pictured below) are absolutely precious and she is one of the most beautiful people I know.  I ran the ING half marathon.  I memorized Psalm 19.  Holy week came.  Dad learned that there was some injustice in his company which led to someone else getting chosen for the position in Atlanta.

April: During Holy Week, I spent some time reading some of Henry Spurgeon's sermons ("There is no voice in my tongue, but there is always a voice in the Blood."). Good stuff. Some dear friends from church got together on a Sunday afternoon to help clean up Beth's yard.  I started learning more of the value in taking a Sabbath. Spring in Atlanta was beautiful.  Jess and I figured out that both of our cars fit under the car port...after 1.5 years of living there.  I took a roadtrip to Oklahoma for another half marathon and to hang out with my family.  At work, I came in dead last for my march madness bracket.

May:  I got my wisdom "teef" taken out.  That was a bizarre experience to say the least.  They stick some needles in your arm and then you wake up feeling dazed and confused and less 4 teeth from your head.  Mallory came and she was the best nurse a girl could ask for.  I went to 2 Braves games and 2 GT baseball games.  I read all of Psalm 119 in one sitting (highly recommend this).  I said farewell to Erin Leigh.  Distance does make the heart grow fonder.  Jess also took off to work in the gulf for a month and a half.  My friends Abby and Christian became parents to a beautiful baby girl, Juliet.  I started reading "The Practice of Godliness" by Jerry Bridges.

June:  It's why Atlanta is affectionately referred to as "Hotlanta."  A group from church made over Beth's house (a beautiful expression of the body of Christ).  I turned 25 years old.  I joined EHarmony (more on this later).  I had some "digging time" with my sweet friend, April.  Jessica came home from the gulf.  I started reading "Hearing God's Voice" by Henry Blackaby.  I spent some very good time with my cousin, Joel.  I took some trips to Piedmont park with my good friend, Cyndi.   While there, we ran into a little girl driving her hot wheels convertible alongside her mother.  She was wearing sunglasses and had a small dog sitting in the front seat.   

July: The first weekend in July, Melissa came!!!  I ran the peachtree roadrace for the first time ever.  We went to the 4th of July Braves' game with Jonathan, Leslee, and Mel's friend Jay. After the game, this awesome band called Yacht Rock Revue played at Turner Field. Maura and I spent a couple of nights planning for our massive roadtrip. At the end of the month, my mom flew into town, so I joined her at my granddad's family reunion in Moultrie, GA.  According to my journal, I spent a lot of time reading and praying.  July takes up a lot of space in there.   I was definitely hungry for the word.  Praise God.

August: More trip planning. We left for Portland on the morning of August 30th.  Maura had a birthday/going away party on the 28th.  This picture is of April and I at said event.  I moved towards finishing "The Practice of Godliness" by Jerry Bridges.  It was a very challenging but good read.   I spent a couple of weekend days resting. I spent an evening with my lovely friend Ashley.  We ate pizza and chatted about the goodness and faithfulness of God.  I am so thankful for her courage to speak the truth...but it's always done in love. Dad came to spend a couple of weekends in Atlanta.  The 2nd weekend, we went to Lake Hartwell with family.  Such a blessing.   I also gained a roommate in August.






September: Oh, dear, what to say for September except for whirlwind?  3800 miles in the passenger seat. Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, LA, Big Sur, San Francisco, Crescent City in N. Cali, and finally, Portland.  There were so many memorable things about this trip.  At the end, I said goodbye to a beloved friend.  Mel came at the end of the month for a conference for Grad school, which enabled her to accompany me to the Georgia Tech football game that day.  :-)  2010 was a year of goodbyes for me.  A handful of people left 1027, three of which were close friends.  However, lonely does not necessarily equal alone.

October: Fall continued to be a whirlwind of busy-ness. I learned that everything that needed to get done would be done (by the grace of God), not necessarily everything that I wanted to get done. I started talking with my boyfriend (!), Dusty, through eHarmony.  I went to Bobby Cox tribute night and a Braves playoff game with Joel, Jonathan, and Leslee. So fun.  Jess and I went on a "ghost tour" at Oakland Cemetary.  Leslee, Jonathan, and I made the drive up to Burt's pumpin patch to pick the most important of halloween symbols,    I took a trip to Gainesville, FL to see Erin Leigh, which happened to fall on Halloween weekend (pic below).  My granddad was in the hospital for most of the month.  He passed away at the end of the month after a bout with Pneumonia.  It was surreal.

November: The highlight would definitely be hanging out with my dad for two weekends in a row.  What a treat.  Dusty and I became "FBO" (you get 3 guesses as to what that means).  There was a line from a sermon at church which was particularly challenging to me concerning the verse 'Cast your anxiety on the Lord, for He cares for you' (1 Peter 5:7).  When a fisherman casts his line, he's not doing it haphazardly.  He casts to a particular spot.  We are to place our eyes on Jesus and cast our cares upon Him.








December:  Brrrrr...but "I've got my love to keep me warm..."  What a very cold, but very sweet month.  I spent a weekend in Birmingham at DeeperStill with some sisters from my church.  I so appreciate the solid Bible teaching that happened there and also the fellowship throughout.  I shared Christmas with Dusty and with my family.  There were many late night conversations had and date nights.  Christmas with my family is always a treat.  The 1027 Christmas eve service was amazing.  Almost my entire family was there, plus Dusty and many from the neighborhood.  The gospel was preached.  Glory to God in the Highest.  One of the things that Dusty got me for Christmas was The Book of Common Prayer, which I am still learning to use, but what a great gift (the giver too!).

Alright folks...that brings us to 1/1/11!  What a blessing to look back at a year gone by.  God has indeed been at work. May this new year bring us to a deeper knowledge of Him.

"Let us not become enamored with gifts, yet hardly knowing the Giver."  -Anon.