I'm not who I was

This hasn't been the typical holiday season for me. It has been unrushed with little on our calendar. I have taken a little break from blogging, haven't done much with our friends, and generally just been at home. It is as if our world has slowed down to a crawl this last week. Needed - probably, but I am now feeling anxious for the new year to start. Ready to see what is going to happen. Looking forward to the changes that I am sure will occur - the unexpected and suprising. As I've reflected about this last year, it amazes me the changes that have occurred. Some good things that I couldn't have anticipated - a good friend that I would meet on a plane, another friend whose life has turned 180 degrees, finding out what community really looks like, being moved/challenged to become a leader, learning what transparency is, entertaining thoughts of writing a book, learning I have an artistic bent, challenged to care for the least of these, developing friendships at a level that I have always wanted. Other good things continuing - enjoying the discovery of learning new things about my incredible wife, watching my boys grow into their personalities, loving the extended family that we have been blessed to be a part of, getting the opportunity to invest in young people, reading and learning. There have also been changes that I would have liked to have avoided especially watching people I care about making choices to walk away. I am not who I was a year ago. Another year from now I will have changed again, hopefully becoming more like Jesus. Pursuing him this year will continue to refine me. Don't know that I will always like the process, but at the same time I can't wait for it to begin. Waiting to see what changes are in store for this new year. How have you changed in the last year?