A Backward Glance

This week’s topic is pretty broad: “Thinking about the ending year or the new year.” It’s hard to do one without thinking about the other – at least it is for me. I’ve always been told I’m an optimist, so I guess this is going to be a Count My Blessings type post. So here we go – my highlights of 2014:

1. Our family grew with the addition of a great-grandchild. One can never have too many family members to love! Our grandchildren, ages one through twenty-two, continue to grow intellectually and socially, and I thank God every day for them and pray for their safety. There is so much going on now to tempt them into following the wrong path, and so many dangers to worry about. But I have faith in them and the parents who are raising them. They’re going to be fine.

2.  I renewed connections with several high school and college friends through social media. As much as we bemoan the evils of the internet, I have to be thankful for renewed friendships that never would have happened without it. High school friends here in Michigan, college friends in Illinois, past colleagues from the several jobs I’ve held – all connections I can continue thanks to social media, despite the miles that separate us. What a wonderful thing. Sometimes I waste too much time online, but thanks to all my “in person” friends I have plenty of real-life hobbies to turn to.

3.  I’ve had the pleasure of performing with several musical groups, reminding me how much I love to play. I described those musical groups in my free week post in November – if you missed it, you can read it HERE.

4.  My list of newly published works grew by five. (If you’re interested, visit my WEBSITE to see what they are!) Definitely a validation of my decision to invest more time in my writing. Very few of my family members actually read what I write, but they’re happy I’ve got my “little hobby” to keep me occupied.

5.  The foxes and hound from this blog asked me to join them! What a great honor. I’ve always loved reading about the thoughts and adventures detailed here and it’s flattering to have my thoughts read by these people as well as those who subscribe to this blog.

The year hasn’t been totally without challenges. Aging parents, rebellious grandkids, and financial challenges can cause glitches in our plans. But in the grand scheme of things, life at our home is good. I can look forward to the coming year with anticipation. My hope for you and yours is that no matter how good 2014 was, the next year is even better.

What blessings has the year brought to you?