I Am Free
I am free to run
I am free to dance
I am free to live for You
I am free!
Newsboys, “I Am Free”
Sometimes — when the chains of debt and servitude and drudgery get you down — you’ve just got to remind yourself: I am free!
2008: Year in Review
It’s that time of year!
2005
2006
2007
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Got married!
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Last year I said “To fit into my wedding dress.” Which I did (beautifully, if I do say so myself), except… it is still 2008 and I would not even come close to fitting into it today, so this one was basically a wash, yes? For 2009 I just want to be healthy, in all ways.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes! Not as many babies as 2007, but T had Sylvie in March and Sarah gave birth to MB in August. And Aaron’s cousin is due to deliver on Dec. 29, so she’ll just make it in!
4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes. My maternal grandmother (and last living grandparent) in May, and my paternal uncle in October. 2008 decided to hit me on both sides on that one.
5. What places did you visit? I didn’t travel as much in 2008 (blessedly). Went to Florida for wedding planning, and the wedding. Visited (sob!) Atlanta in October.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? To be debt free! (It’s a long road.)
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? May 2, our wedding day. May 13, MeMe died.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I planned a really beautiful wedding!
9. What was your biggest failure? I haven’t been as good of a wife as I thought I would be. I’m working on it! I allowed myself to gain a lot of weight and to get really out of shape.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No, thankfully.
11. What was the best thing you bought? I got a new lens for my camera, and I’ve enjoyed it. Problem is, I want more!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Aaron! He is the best.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The election was really draining. Unfortunately, in Minnesota, it’s not over. I still can’t believe Al Franken might be our senator. Ugh.
14. Where did most of your money go? In the first half of the year, wedding. After the wedding we threw a lot toward our debt.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The wedding, of course! Also, the NKOTB reunion tour.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007? “Heavenly Day” by Patty Griffin. It’s the song we used for my bridal processional. Earlier in the year, Aaron had sent me a link to the YouTube video and said, “I’ve watched this 10 times today thinking of you.”
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Both. It’s been a hard year, but also a wonderful year.
b) thinner or fatter? So much fatter. I don’t know how I let this happen. (See sad year.)
c) richer or poorer? I’m richer, but marrying me made my husband a lot poorer!
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Saving.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Spending.
20. How did you spend Christmas last year? Same way I’ve spent every other Christmas, with my mom and family at my parents’ house. We have brunch, open presents and then head over to my Aunt Jane’s for dinner and dominoes.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008? I fall more in love every day.
22. What was your favorite TV program? Still The Office!
23. What did you do for your birthday in 2008? A bittersweet birthday this year. Aaron rented a gazebo at a park near our house, and we cooked out and went swimming, and invited his family. But I had no one to invite. Making friends in your 30s is not easy.
24. What was the best book you read? Like the rest of the Internet, I read (and loved/hated) the Twilight series.
25. What did you want and get? A new lens.
26. What did you want and not get? There were a few things, but I am learning to trust in God’s timing.
27. What was your favorite film of this year? We didn’t see many movies this year!
28. Did you make some new friends this year? No! I need to make new friends.
29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Local friends, for sure.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Holy cow, none of my pants fit.
31. What kept you sane? Aaron.
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I really like Viking Jared Allen. He’s an awesome player, he donates money to juvenile diabetes every time he makes a sack (plus he’s the leading sacker in the NFC), and he has a great sense of humor.
33. What political issue stirred you the most? Like most Americans, the economy.
34. Who did you miss? Oh, everyone.
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Surrender is hard. The hardest thing for anyone to do, I believe. But the rewards are great. (I would say I’m still learning this.)
Little Things
I am really missing my friends today. The holiday season was always so much fun at my former workplace — lots of lunches and Secret Santas and parties. And always lots of goodies, sent from volunteers and vendors and coworkers. A veritable smorgasbord, as Templeton might say.
Right now I’m laughing at pictures on Flickr of my old work friends wearing ugly Christmas sweaters. They look good doing it.
And it’s hard to not feel a little bit sorry for myself, so far away in this bitterly cold place, where I have dogs for friends.
But then I looked out the window at Scout, running at breakneck speed around the yard, thrilled with the cold and the snow beneath her feet, and my heart grew three sizes.
Scout finds the joy in all seasons, in every day. I used to laugh at how much excitement would bubble out of her when she found the perfect stick to toss and catch and run around with, until one day it sort of struck me: when do I express that much happiness about anything ever?
And I realize she is just a dog, and (probably) not capable of complicated emotions and reason, but maybe that’s better. She doesn’t analyze what did he mean when he said this or what does it mean if I feel this?
Scout is happy each and every time she sees Aaron or me. Her ears perk up and her tail starts thumping rapidly and there’s a lesson there, isn’t there?
Life is short. The older you are, the shorter it gets, after all. The time to find joy in the little things is now.
New Morning
Taken by the lake behind our house, Wednesday, December 10.
His mercies are new every morning. He paints the proof across the sky.
Compassion Kids Continued
This week kind of got away from me, so I will just go ahead and introduce you to the remaining Compassion children who are in need of sponsors.
I’d also forgotten that I’d requested only seven packets from India, and asked for three from Ethiopia as well. And I’m actually only listing two of those, because one stole my heart already!
Ethiopia:
Abush – Male, 7 years old
Shalom – Female, 5 years old
India:
Ajay – Male, 7 years old
Dharmender – Male, 7 years old
Ajay – Male, 3.5 years old
Prakash – Male, 8.5 years old
Essakkithai – Female, 7.5 years old
If you’re interested in sponsoring any of these children – a $32 per month commitment – please e-mail me at hannah@hannahbeth.com.
As fate (God!) would have it, I got letters from both our sponsored children this week. R told me about her lessons and a singing competition they had at church. P send me a thank-you note for the birthday gift we sent him, and told me about the neat gifts his family was able to get for him. It was a sweet reminder why I am part of Compassion – for these individual children who pray for us as we pray for them. For their future and the futures of their communities. And, as in everything, we do it for the Kingdom.
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Compassion
