I have been pondering this past year and began thinking of the goals and tasks ahead for 2010. I went back and read my New Years resolutions from last year and was dismayed to read that I'd only really accomplished about three of twelve I had listed. Awesome.
Before listing my resolutions for not only a new year but a new decade as well, I wanted to really list a few things I'm thankful for, things I have learned, and people I have met. enjoy...
1. The first thing I'm thankful for this year is my refreshed, renewed, positive outlook on the human race. At this point last year I had grown bitter and always expected/assumed the worst of the average man or woman. This year, God took a very heartbreaking situation and used it to show me something much different. I will be eternally grateful to my family, friends, neighbors, and complete strangers who helped me find my little Rudy. Rudy went missing on the day we left for our summer vacation in Garden City, SC. As soon as we pulled in to GC, we emptied the car, and I began my drive back to Greenville. My AMAZING Mother drove 2 hours from NC to meet me at my house. While I was away and useless my best friend Heather stopped in her tracks and drove to my house to begin the search on my behalf. My 12 year old neighbor, Shane and his family made fliers and posted them on every stop sign in the neighborhood. When I arrived, an old co-worker/friend came to my house at 9pm and stayed until midnight - he was back by 8am the next day. When morning came and still no Rudy - we searched harder, walked farther, and spoke to every single human being in sight. I walked through horse pastures, visited animal shelters, and prayed like I never had before.
Sunday brought more friends and more neighbors. After leaving the humane society I began thinking about how I was going to make peace with losing my sweet little puppy. I was trying to mentally prepare myself for such a loss all the while my Mother wouldn't let me do it. She kept speaking constant words of faith and affirmation to me. That's when the phone rang. A sweet retired police officer who I'd spoken with earlier that morning called. He said, "Kelly, this is Cotton. I think I saw your little dog."(only in the South does a man go by 'Cotton' - another thing I'm grateful for) I immediately hung up and called Heather and Mary Teresa (a sweet neighbor) who were still searching and hanging fliers and instructed them to go to Cotton's house. Then I get another call from Carla. Who the heck was Carla? Carla was the distant neighbor who always walked her four dogs like Cesar Millan with a stone face and lots of discipline. I was actually a little scared of her. I forgot I had spoken to her earlier. She also said, "I see your dog." WOW!
Mother and I raced home where after about 15 minutes of trying to locate the worlds fastest poodle (or as referred to by the search crew) I was reunited at last! My best friend Heather spotted him on the run, chased him in to George Clinton's garage, and begged him to shut the door until I could get there. Okay - George Clinton doesn't really live in Greenville but this guy REALLY looked like him.
My Mother said it was like a lifetime movie.
During this ordeal I was amazed at the good will of strangers surrounding me. People I had never met before got in their vehicles and drove a 2 mile radius around my neighborhood looking for a dog they never knew existed for a stranger to whom they owed nothing.
God is amazing and he answered the dark, lost, sad cry of my heart. I am so grateful. Thanks to Mom, Heather, Cotton, Carla, Mary Teresa, Katie Curl and her parents, George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic and the entire Rice family and every other stranger/neighbor who searched.
My cup runneth over.
Don't worry - they get shorter from here :)
This year my Mother had a cancer scare. I hate cancer. In fact, I hate it so much that on the day my grandmother died from cancer 1997 I prayed that God would never let anyone else in my family die from this horrible, ugly disease. So far, He has been faithful. Turns out that my Mothers scare, was just that, a scare. I am so fortunate. She is the most amazing woman alive and I think she learned a lesson this year-early detection!
not getting laid off! (a miracle in itself)
Matthew 6:33 and growing light years in my relationship with Christ. This year I have learned more about grace and redemption than ever in my life. Trials have a painful way of teaching this. I hate to learn the hard way but sometimes I guess it's necessary. Good bye sense of entitlement, hello humility!
Now on to the fun stuff!
10 things that brought extreme joy to my life in the 10's!
1. Google
(now we no longer have to wonder...about anything. No more..'I can't remember that song, or who was the actor that played in...' THANK YOU GOOGLE!)
2. THE REAL HOUSEWIVES SERIES and US Weekly!
This trashy tv version of reality never ceases to provide a mindless escape - same goes for Us Weekly
3. ipod's
the 90's brought us CD's, the 10's gave us the ipod. hallelujah!
4. Chi flat iron
I no longer have to straiten my hair with a curling iron. Wow - am I spoiled or what?
5. NIV Life Application Study Bible
perhaps these were around in the 90's but I received mine at high school graduation from my parents. One of the best gifts ever! I will undoubtedly have it for the rest of my life. I began enjoying reading my bible. No more "therefore, yea, unto, ye, thou shalts..." I love you modern english translation!
6. Pearls
On my 21st birthday my Mother gave me a strand of real pearls - a must for a lady in the South!
7. TRAVEL
This decade I have seen Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and where the battles of Wounded Knee and Gettysburg were fought. I went up in the St. Louis Arch, seen the craziness of Sturgis, and smelled the chocolate in Hershey, PA. I've toured the capital, went crabbing in the marshes of North Litchfield, and ice skated at Rockefeller center. Swam in the crystal blue waters off the coast of Mexico, paid my respects to the fallen victims of 9/11, and stood on the top of empire state building. How lucky am I?
8. Fell in love with my two sweet doggies...
Shelby and Rudy make me smile and laugh every single day! Who knew how rewarding it would be to provide our four legged friends with a warm bed and a full stomach?
9. Seeing my little brother grow up!
Literally! The kid is 5'11" now and in a size 12 shoe. He turned 6 in 2000. This year he is 15. I cried tears of sadness when my Mom told me I was going to have a little brother. Hilarious. I love him so much and I'm so glad we have him! He definitely made the 10's much more entertaining and amusing.
10. Family
My husband, my Mother, my Father, my brother, and my 88 year old grandmother. I also gained an entire new family this decade. I gained 7 sister/brother-in-law's, a mother-in-law, a step mother-in-law, a father-in-law, 3 nephews, 1 niece, and 2 sets of grandparents. Wow! Family is so important in a world that is constantly diminishing it's importance and it's role in society. Most of the other 9 items above were only possible due to either my Mother or my husband. I can't think of a better thing to be thankful for to complete my list.
Resolutions to come....
Now on to the fun stuff!
10 things that brought extreme joy to my life in the 10's!
1. Google
(now we no longer have to wonder...about anything. No more..'I can't remember that song, or who was the actor that played in...' THANK YOU GOOGLE!)
2. THE REAL HOUSEWIVES SERIES and US Weekly!
This trashy tv version of reality never ceases to provide a mindless escape - same goes for Us Weekly
3. ipod's
the 90's brought us CD's, the 10's gave us the ipod. hallelujah!
4. Chi flat iron
I no longer have to straiten my hair with a curling iron. Wow - am I spoiled or what?
5. NIV Life Application Study Bible
perhaps these were around in the 90's but I received mine at high school graduation from my parents. One of the best gifts ever! I will undoubtedly have it for the rest of my life. I began enjoying reading my bible. No more "therefore, yea, unto, ye, thou shalts..." I love you modern english translation!
6. Pearls
On my 21st birthday my Mother gave me a strand of real pearls - a must for a lady in the South!
7. TRAVEL
This decade I have seen Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and where the battles of Wounded Knee and Gettysburg were fought. I went up in the St. Louis Arch, seen the craziness of Sturgis, and smelled the chocolate in Hershey, PA. I've toured the capital, went crabbing in the marshes of North Litchfield, and ice skated at Rockefeller center. Swam in the crystal blue waters off the coast of Mexico, paid my respects to the fallen victims of 9/11, and stood on the top of empire state building. How lucky am I?
8. Fell in love with my two sweet doggies...
Shelby and Rudy make me smile and laugh every single day! Who knew how rewarding it would be to provide our four legged friends with a warm bed and a full stomach?
9. Seeing my little brother grow up!
Literally! The kid is 5'11" now and in a size 12 shoe. He turned 6 in 2000. This year he is 15. I cried tears of sadness when my Mom told me I was going to have a little brother. Hilarious. I love him so much and I'm so glad we have him! He definitely made the 10's much more entertaining and amusing.
10. Family
My husband, my Mother, my Father, my brother, and my 88 year old grandmother. I also gained an entire new family this decade. I gained 7 sister/brother-in-law's, a mother-in-law, a step mother-in-law, a father-in-law, 3 nephews, 1 niece, and 2 sets of grandparents. Wow! Family is so important in a world that is constantly diminishing it's importance and it's role in society. Most of the other 9 items above were only possible due to either my Mother or my husband. I can't think of a better thing to be thankful for to complete my list.
Resolutions to come....
