2011: A year I don't want to repeat but never want to forget

I've been thinking for the past month that I need to write down the major (and maybe not so major) life lessons I learned in 2011. If you read my blog at all, you know we have had a lot of changes and a lot of challenges this year. I hope to never experience a year like it again, but I also want to remember the ways the Lord revealed himself to us and the ways we have grown as a family! I am so thankful that I serve a God who is refining us through the fire! One of the verses I have clung to is this:

"⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." -I Peter 1:6-7

What a hopeful promise! So anyway, I am certain this post will seem a bit disjointed at parts, but I just want to put down on paper (or, in this case, the world wide web) my reflections on the year.

1. There is absolutely no way to plan for our lives on our own. You would think we would have learned this when Elijah came along unexpectedly just after our one year anniversary, but apparently we are slow learners :). So many decisions Kirk made during his time at Roche (getting a masters, accepting a position as a team leader, etc) were done as a way to position himself for the "next best thing" in his career. We thought he would get laid off, have an MBA, and get a great (and better) job somewhere else. We were wrong. Very wrong. Not only did it take him 7 months to land a job, but it was an entry level, contract position. We thought we would stay in Indiana and continue to build our relationships and family there. We were wrong. Very wrong. When times got tough, we had to make tough decisions. We thought we would be happy with 2 kids for a while and wait until we were in a "better" financial position to grow our family. You get the picture: we were very wrong. However, our misconceptions of how things were gonna go only proved to us the divine story God was writing in our lives. We have already seen him reveal himself through these times and I am certain we will continue to see Him show up as we move forward.

2. Life works best when you live in community with the body of Christ. Christian community is something I thought I understood before this year. I've been around Christians my whole life. I went to a college that took great pride in its strong community feel. I have always had wonderful Christian friends who have prayed for me and supported me. But wow...never have I experienced it like this year! When we desperately needed help, we never even had to ask for it. We had friends who cooked us dinners just because, friends who sacrificially gave to us because the Lord prompted them to do so, friends who prayed for us, cried with us (or cried with me...Kirk's emotions aren't quite as close to the surface :)), and cared for us in way that absolutely blew us away. We even have a family who took us under their own roof! Our pastor shared 2 Corinthians 9:13-15 on Sunday and I couldn't help but think of all of my brothers and sisters in Christ who have allowed God to accomplish His work through them:

^"13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴ And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"

3. Marriage is a great gift: one that needs to be nourished and protected. Again, this is not a new concept, just one that has been proven to me in a new way this year. We have had a hard year and we have been reminded of how important it is that we invest in our relationship and try our best to reflect Christ and the church. This is a huge job...and huge privelege!

4. Our children are our heritage. If we could, Kirk and I would give our children the world. We love them more than we could have ever imagined. I don't ever want them to miss an opportunity or feel like they were lacking something because of our financial situation. This year, I have been reminded of how important it is that we respond appropriately to difficult times. They are watching us and learning from us every day. There are many things more important than the resources we have. I pray that my children will know the values of sacrifice, generosity, and true selfless love for one another. And I pray that is modeled in our home consistently (we have a long way to go!).

5. Chick-fil-a sauce can totally revolutionize your chicken eating experience. Lest you think all of our lessons have been earth shattering, I had to share this one with you. A few months ago, a Chick-fil-a employee suggested we try the sauce and God bless her! Next time you go (and you need to go soon...the place is SO good!), try it. I promise you won't regret it.

So, here's to 2012! We have a lot to look forward to: a new baby girl, a new job for Kirk, a new church community, preschool for Elijah, and undoubtedly some unexpected challenges! This much I know: there is no one like our God. He is able! Lord, may your presence be seen and felt in this family!