Full Circle

I remember almost exactly this time last year making observations about 2007 and stating hopes for 2008. I remember sitting with a friend and setting 10 goals (not resolutions, mind you) for the coming year. Look back at my post from last year, and you will find several weeks of entries from early 2008 about the progress of those goals. I remember making a firm decision that 2008 would not be as difficult as 2007.

I kept exactly one of my 10 goals: I will be graduating in May with my Master's degree, assuming I pass my Comprehensive Exams.

Otherwise, the rest of my "goals" remain unmet. I managed to read my Bible every night for about six weeks. (I have the orange checklist to prove it.) I lost almost all of the weight I wanted to, and then promptly gained it back. All you have to do is look back at the date of my last blog entry to see that blogging every week turned out to be a bust. I only ran in one 5K. I don't even remember what the others were.

I will have to do some thinking and reflecting tomorrow before I decide if I am going to attempt yet again to achieve any of these goals. However, I have made one decision: I will be better equipped to handle 2009. I'm not going to hope it won't be as rough as 2008. In fact, I assume it will be just as rough. I am, however, going to better equip myself to handle whatever 2009 decides to throw at me. I have already set plans in motion to take a couple of risks that a year ago I wouldn't have dared take. And these risks require taking a huge step out on faith. That is how I plan to live out 2009. To stop worrying over the things I cannot control and take a few risks to get what I want. Maybe it will work out, maybe it won't, but I do not want to live 2009 playing the "What if" game. It is a game I am well seasoned in, but do not want to partake in any longer. I ask for your prayers for courage, resilience, and most of all, peace. I spent all of 2008 seeking a peace that has been right in front of me to grasp. I ask your prayers for 2009 that I will no longer look for peace, but just take it.

Here's to 2009. . . Bring it on.
-Peace to you all. . .